How Do Consulting Engineers Explain Structure’s Base Isolation Systems and Seismic Designs?

Reinforcing the support structure for providing the much-needed strength for withstanding strong earthquakes is a typical approach the structural engineers apply in the structure's seismic designs. Nevertheless, as the consulting engineers explain, to reinforce the supports, the section size or else the structural element's reinforcing materials often have to be increased, which ultimately gives way to higher masses and thus higher seismic forces. Rather, it is true that these likewise designed structures can resist strong earthquakes, and consequently, it is able to generate huge damages to the structural elements subjected to the seismic forces. Even the stored expensive equipment within the structure could sustain the damages. So, in essence, the financial implications of strong earthquake endurance with the traditional design techniques restrict the designs and even limit the possibilities to achieve completely safe structures.

Significant researches are being done over the last 30 years, which resulted in alternative design approaches. The consulting engineers in Brisbane from the best consulting engineering firm, direct to applying the different methodologies, that is using the physical mechanism controlling the vibration-induced to the structures because of the earthquake. So, structural engineers can design lighter and more economic structures.

How Do the Base Isolation and Seismic Designs Work?

Through base isolation, the structure vibration's fundamental period increases. Thus, the induced seismic effect on the structure is greatly reduced. The structures' fundamental period increase help in generating higher displacements with the possibility to be limited with the mechanical energy dissipaters’ implementation.

 Various elements are usually implemented in the base isolation systems, like -

• The flexible support increasing the structure's fundamental vibration period.

• An energy dissipater limiting the structure displacement because of the increased fundamental vibration period.

• The rigidity system providing additional stiffness to all other lateral loads like the wind loads.

What Are the Base Isolators?

The base isolators are divided typically into main three functional groups serving individual purposes existing within the structural system –

i. Bearing Type Isolators increasing the structure vibration's fundamental period, that is rubber bearing, elastomeric rubber bearing, sliding support using rubber pad, high damping rubber bearing, friction pendulum systems, and more.

ii. Damping Type Isolators limiting the excessive displacement which are induced to the structure because of the increased fundamental period, that is viscous damping services, lead plug damper, and more.

iii. Other Isolator Types rarely used in the structures, and the ones whose qualities ensure seismic response improvements of the isolation system, which includes the sleeve piles isolation systems, roller isolators, and spring isolators.

The isolation systems are designed for providing damping, flexibility, and resistance to the existing service loads on structures. In all the practical structural designs, considering the cost, durability, and installation at the time of the isolation system's selection the process is essential.

Should the Base Isolators Be Used in Your Structural Designs?

Base isolation systems are a great support to the complete structure on its very elements that result in the structure decoupling of its structure from the ground motion's damaging effects as induced by the earthquakes. The excessive displacement and yielding produce energy that absorbs the isolation system through internal resolving. Ultimately, it results in a much rigid-like structure.

At the time of the projects’ conceptual designs –

• The different isolation device types characteristics and features are to be considered

• The structure's positive and negative effects on the structures the devices will be supporting should be focused on.

• Exploration of different constructibility as well as the installation procedures for the site as well as the applicable seismic regions.

As said by the consulting engineers, the structural engineers can grasp the base isolation system's complexity as well as its assessing positive effects with the structure's decoupling from the seismic forces' damaging effects. In practice, it has been shown that these researches and practices are extremely efficient to control the seismic induced forces into the structures.