Performance of Sliding Resilient-Friction Base-Isolation System

Combining the desirable features of the Electricite de France (EDF) base isolator and the resilient-friction base-isolation (R-FBI) system, a modified design for a base isolation system is proposed. Seismic performance of this isolator, which is referred to as the sliding resilient-friction (SR-F) base-isolation system, for a nonuniform shear beam structure is studied. Displacement and acceleration response spectra of the base-isolated structure for different earthquakes are evaluated. Parametric studies on variations in properties of the SR-F base isolator are also carried out. The peak responses are compared with those obtained for base-isolated shear beam structures that use the EDF and the R-FBI systems, as well as with those for the fixed-base shear-beam structure. The SR-F system effectively reduces the peak acceleration responses without generating large base displacements. Furthermore, the peak responses are not sensitive to severe variations in frequency contents and amplitude of the ground acceleration.