| Title | Feasibilty and Performance Studies on Improving the Earthquake Resistance of New and Existing Buildings Using the Friction Pendulum System |
| Authors | Zayas, Victor; Low, Stanley; Bozzo, Luis; Mahin, Stephen |
| Publication | Earthquake Engineering Research Center Report No. UCB/EERC -89/09, Sept. 1989 |
| Objectives | Perform tests on FPS components to investigate their ability to achieve friction coefficients in the 5% range. |
| Abstract | The feasibility of using an innovative earthquake resistant construction technique to improve the earthquake resistance of buildings was investigated. The technique, called the Friction Pendulum System (FPS), uses steel connections to seismically isolate the buildings using small amplitude pendulum motions. The anticipated seismic performace of the building structures using the FPS steel connections was investigated using analytical and experimental studies. Buildings designed to have approximately equivalent construction costs as conventional building designs were studied. The earthquake response of the FPS supported buildings were compared to those of conventional code design. The FPS was assessed to be a feasible and cost effective construction technique for improving the seismic resistance of new buildings. The flexibility to select any isolator period makes the approach suitable to a wide range of applictions. The compact size and high strength of the FPS isolators also offered advantages in retrofit details. Model size FPS isolators were tested at velocities up to 20 inches/second, and at varied pressure loads. They consistently achieved ideal linear stiffnesses and dynamic friction coefficients of less than 5%. Analytical studies of example building cases showed that the shear loads, story drifts, ductility demands, and structure inelastic energy dissipation in FPS supported structures were sustantially reduced as compared to similar structures without the FPS. The studies showed that the torsion motions occuring in asymmetrical structures with large mass eccentricities can be substantially reduced using the FPS. The FPS offers the potential to improve the seismic performance for a wide variety of structures. |
