The Earthquake Engineering Online Archive

Feasibility study large-scale earthquake simulator facility

Penzien, Joseph; Bouwkamp, Jack G.; Clough, Ray W.; Rea, Dixon

UCB/EERC-67/01, Earthquake Engineering Research Center, University of California, Berkeley, 1967-09-01, 119 pages (550.1/P371/1967)

This report describes a study undertaken to determine the feasibility of constructing a large-scale earthquake simulator facility. A preliminary design, organization schedule and cost estimate for the facility are included, and the research potential of the facility is discussed. The central feature of the facility is a 100 ft x 100 ft x 10 ft welded-steel shaking table weighing 2.2 million pounds. The table has 3 translational degrees-of-freedom: 2 mutual perpendicular horizontal and one vertical. It can subject a 4-million-pound test structure to an acceleration of 2/3 g up to a velocity of 25 in./sec in both horizontal directions, and to an acceleration of 2/9 g up to a velocity of 10 in./sec in the vertical direction. The power element is hydraulic. The most difficult problem in the design of the facility concerns the electro-hydraulic servo-control system to control table motion. A recommendation is made to initiate a program of development work to design an optimum servo-control system. The suggested organization includes a liaison with the University of California at Berkeley. In the liaison, the facility is administratively responsible to the university. It should be located in the Berkeley vicinity to enable faculty and graduate students from the university to participate in research programs of the facility. An earthquake simulator facility is considered both economically and technically feasible. Its construction is strongly recommended to facilitate research in earthquake engineering.

Available online: http://nisee.berkeley.edu/documents/EERC/EERC-67-01.pdf (9 MB)