Experimental Evaluation of a Smart Base-Isolation System Consisting of Spherical Sliding Bearings and Variable Fluid Dampers

摘要

An experimental evaluation of the seismic performance of a multi-story base-isolated building frame is presented herein. At the isolation level, the structure is equipped with a smart isolation system consisting of spherical sliding bearings and variable fluid dampers. Experimental shaking table tests were performed using both near- and far-field earthquake records to evaluate the effectiveness of the variable dampers. An H_∞/fuzzy logic hybrid control algorithm was developed to determine the optimal damper force. The experimental results for the smart isolation system are compared with those obtained for a passive isolation system. The comparisons reveal that the variable dampers are effective in controlling the dynamic response of the superstructure while simultaneously limiting the deformation of the isolation system. Numerical simulations are presented to validate the analytical models of the isolation system.