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Vibration and Earthquake Isolation

Earthquake-protection-system

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Earthquake protection system

Details

Inventors: Caspe, Marc S.;
Assignee:
Primary Examiner: Murtagh; John E.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Townsend & Townsend

A system for protecting a building against the forces generated by an earthquake. The superstructure moves horizontally along a system of movable plates provided at the interface between the superstructure and the foundation. A sandwiched system of three levels of low friction plates lying beneath each column, interconnected by a system of clamps, restricts the movement of the columns and walls solely to a combination of orthogonal, rectilinear motions. A first set of clamps allow linear motion between the top and middle plate in a first direction and a second set of clamps allow linear motion between the middle and bottom plate in a second linear direction that is perpendicular to the first direction without torsional rotation about a vertical axis. By setting a low friction material under the top plate concentric with the column center line, no significant eccentric loads can be introduced into the column. Vertical uplift tensile forces are also significantly controlled by hold-down arms or flanges provided on the clamps.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention provides a "force barrier" system for controlling the earthquake response of a building or equipment.
The columns supporting the building superstructure above the foundation are restricted to combinations of orthogonal and horizontal movement to prevent significant torsional movements of the columns.
The column support plates are also interlocked to prevent significant uplifting movements of the columns.
The building's combination of orthogonal horizontal motion is biased back towards an original position by a passive hydraulic biasing system.
Thus, the present invention provides for operational flexibility of the earthquake protection system in varying wind conditions, passively prevents undesirable torsional and uplifting movements, and urges the building towards its normal position to limit any cumulative relative displacement between the building and its foundation due to either torsional or rectilinear displacements.
The present invention provides for a direct transfer of friction damping forces through the weight supporting means by providing friction clamps on both sides of the weight supporting means.
Forces are internally in equilibrium on either side of the plates and are independent of the building's weight support system since they act horizontally and are dependent only on the bolt preload and the coefficient of friction between the sliding surfaces.
Accordingly, in one form, the apparatus of the present invention comprises means for transferring the superstructure weight to the foundation which permits substantial relative horizontal movements between the superstructure and the foundation under the influence of minor horizontal forces.
Control means, which are independent of the weight transferring means, transmit the predominant horizontal forces between the superstructure and the foundation.
The control means have a bilinear force-deflection characteristic which substantially prevents horizontal movements between the superstructure and the foundation when subjected to a horizontal force up to a predetermined magnitude, while permitting substantial horizontal movements between the superstructure and the foundation once the horizontal force exceeds the predetermined magnitude

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