The Earthquake Engineering Online Archive

Experimental and analytical studies of base isolation applications for low-cost housing

Taniwangsa, Wendy; Kelly, James M.

UCB/EERC-96/04, Earthquake Engineering Research Center, University of California, Berkeley, 1996-07, 162 pages (525/T26/1996a)

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has, over the past five years, sponsored a research program for the development of low-cost natural rubber isolation systems for the seismic protection of public housing in developing countries. This program has led to demonstration buildings in China and Indonesia. This report describes experimental and analytical studies carried out as part of the design and construction of the Indonesian demonstration building. The building is a four-story, eight-apartment housing block. The superstructure consists of reinforced concrete frames with infilled masonry panels, which are separated from the structural frames by seismic gaps filled with soft mortar. The superstructure is designed in accordance with the Indonesian Codes and Regulations for fixed-base buildings. The isolation system is designed using site specific spectra, and uses multi-layer high-damping natural rubber (HDNR) bearings with recessed end connections. Two natural rubber compounds are used in the system. A one-third scale sub-assemblage of the infilled reinforced concrete frame with seismic gaps was built and subjected to gravity load and to a series of reversed cyclic horizontal loads. The performance of the building was evaluated for serviceability, maximum design earthquake and maximum probable earthquake risk levels, using both modal and time history analyses.

Available online: http://nisee.berkeley.edu/documents/EERC/EERC-96-04.pdf (13 MB)