A roof isolation system is proposed to reduce the dynamic response of buildings to earthquake excitations. In the system, frictional materials are inserted between the roof slab and the beams that support the slab. The roof slab and the beams are connected by springs. The optimum stiffness of the system is determined to minimize the seismic response of the buildings. A comparative study of the responses of an eight-story frame structure with and without the proposed system to ground motions was carried out to assess the system effectiveness. The study showed that the system energy dissipation capacity is nonlinear. The effectiveness of the system is related to the frequency and the acceleration of the ground motion. The system reduces the maximum lateral displacement response and the maximum inter-story drift response of the building by as much as 45% except for the roof.
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