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Improving the performance of conventional base isolation systems by an external variable negative stiffness device under near-fault and long-period ground motions

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Abstract

Recent studies have shown that base-isolated objects with long fundamental natural periods are highly influenced by long-period earthquakes. These long-period waves result in large displacements for isolators, possibly leading to exceedance of the allowable displacement limits. Conventional isolation systems, in general, fail to resist such large displacements. This has prompted the need to modify conventional base isolation systems. The current work focuses on the development of an external device, comprising a unit of negative and positive springs, for improving the performance of conventional base isolation systems. This unit accelerates the change in the stiffness of the isolation system where the stiffness of the positive spring varies linearly in terms of the displacement response of the isolated objects. The target objects of the present study are small structures such as computer servers, sensitive instruments and machinery. Numerical studies show that the increase in the damping of the system and the slope of the linear function is effective in reducing the displacement response. An optimal range of damping values and slope, satisfying the stability condition and the allowable limits of both displacement and acceleration responses when the system is subjected to near-fault and long-period ground motions simultaneously, is proposed.

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Abbreviations

α :

Parameter defining value of positive spring of NP unit

c a :

Damping coefficient of additional spring/damper unit

c s :

Damping coefficient of conventional isolation system

f s :

Natural frequency of conventional isolation system

F n-p-a :

Restoring force of proposed external device

h s :

Damping constant of conventional isolation system

h t :

Total damping constant of base isolation system

k a :

Stiffness of additional spring/damper unit

k n :

Stiffness of negative spring of NP unit

k n-p-a :

Combine stiffness of NP unit with additional spring

k p :

Stiffness of positive spring of NP unit

k t :

Total stiffness of the system

k* :

Total stiffness of NP unit

κ :

Slope of changing α

m s :

Mass of base-isolated object

P :

Restoring force of the system

T n :

Fundamental period of negative spring

T n-p-a :

Fundamental period of proposed device

T t :

Natural period of the system

T p :

Predominant period of the pulse

u s :

Displacement response of base-isolated object with respect to base

U s :

Potential energy of proposed isolation system

ü g :

Ground acceleration

V p :

Amplitude of velocity pulse

ω s :

Natural circular frequency of conventional isolation system

ω a :

Natural circular frequency of additional spring

ω n :

Natural circular frequency of negative spring

ω n-p :

Natural circular frequency of NP unit

ω n-p-a :

Natural circular frequency of proposed device

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, 255 Shimo-Okubo, Sakura-ku, 338-8570, Saitama, Japan

    Sandhya Nepal & Masato Saitoh

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  1. Sandhya Nepal
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  2. Masato Saitoh
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Correspondence to Sandhya Nepal.

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Nepal, S., Saitoh, M. Improving the performance of conventional base isolation systems by an external variable negative stiffness device under near-fault and long-period ground motions. Earthq. Eng. Eng. Vib. 19, 985–1003 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11803-020-0609-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11803-020-0609-3

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