Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Buildings with Sliding Belt Seismic Isolation and Elastic Limiter of Horizontal Displacements

Abstract

An effective way of ensuring seismic resistance of buildings and structures is the use of active seismic protection systems - seismic isolation. One known type of seismic isolation is a sliding belt at foundation level. However, the application of this seismic protection system is limited by the lack of necessary design justifications and studies. The behavior of a cast-in-situ reinforced concrete building with different number of storeys (5, 9, 16 floors) with sliding belt seismic isolation at foundation level containing fluoroplastic plates and an elastic limiter of horizontal displacements is considered. The main focus of the study is the effect of the size of the gap between the elastic limiter and the side faces of the upper foundation on the efficiency of the sliding belt. The analysis was carried out using the direct dynamic method. Comparative graphs of relative displacements and the stress intensity distributions for each calculation case are obtained. It is revealed that proximity of the elastic limiter to the foundation increases the likelihood of collision and the emergence of dangerous vibrations that can lead to the failure of the structure. The optimally selected gap size will allow the sliding belt to operate effectively, limiting excessive horizontal displacements, and reduce seismic loads on the superstructure.

Keywords

• active seismic protection
• seismic isolation
• earthquake-resistant construction
• fluoroplastic plates
• direct dynamic method