PSI - Issue 61

Adil Ziraoui et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 61 (2024) 171–179

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Adil Ziraoui et al. / Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2019) 000 – 000

1. Introduction A number of catastrophic building failures due to violent, impulsive earthquakes have occurred worldwide in recent decades. Following the 1995 Kobe earthquake in Japan, these failures drew worldwide attention to the crucial importance of earthquake-resistant construction. Seismic-resistant construction and the application of advanced seismic mitigation techniques are of crucial importance today in earthquake-prone regions. In these areas, the constant risk of seismic shocks calls for innovative solutions to reinforce the resistance of structures against ground movements (Ziraoui et al. 2023, 2024). Among these techniques, leaded rubber bearings (LRB) stand out as a state of-the-art solution for increasing the ability of buildings to withstand seismic forces (Skinner et al. 1993). The imperative of seismic resilience is underlined by the devastating impact that earthquakes can have on lives and property. Consequently, the development and use of LRB systems is proving to be a decisive step forward in the field of structural engineering. Not only do these systems offer an effective means of mitigating the potentially catastrophic effects of earthquakes, they also contribute to the long-term sustainability of infrastructures (Jangid et al .2007, Kelly et al.2010).

Fig. 1. Typical lead-rubber bearing (LRB) isolator device (Hu. 2014)

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of a lead rubber bearing-based isolation system in reducing the seismic response of reinforced concrete buildings. To this end, we have chosen to work with three dimensional building models of eight and ten storeys, constituting a representative sample of high-rise structures. Our analysis focuses on comparing the effectiveness of the isolation system against equivalent models with a fixed base. In this evaluation, several response parameters are taken into account, including storey displacement, inter storey drift, shear at the base of the building, and bending moments at the columns. These parameters are essential to fully assess the impact of the isolation system on the seismic response of buildings (Mollaioli et al. 2013, Bhandari et al. 2018). By carrying out this comparative study, we aim to determine the extent to which the lead rubber bearing isolation system (Figure 1) can improve the ability of reinforced concrete buildings to resist seismic shaking. The results of this analysis will be invaluable to the construction industry and civil engineers, helping to refine seismic design strategies and enhance the resilience of buildings in regions exposed to seismic risk. 2. Modelling 2.1. Numerical study The central objective of this study is to describe the behavior of different reinforced concrete structures. To this end, we have chosen to consider two regular structural models. The aim of this approach is to better understand the impact of using an isolated base system to reduce seismic risk. For the purposes of this study, two reinforced concrete structures of eight and ten storeys were selected for in-depth comparative analysis, with spans of 3m in the X direction and 4m in the Y direction. Each storey has a fixed height of 3 m (Figure 2). These dimensions were chosen to reflect typical design conditions and provide a solid basis for comparison (Table 1).