Full-scale, components test of Inertial Force-Limiting Floor Anchorage Systems for Seismic Resistant Building Structures

The NEESR project entitled NEESR: Inertial Force-Limiting Floor Anchorage Systems For Seismic Resistant Building Structures (PI: R. Fleischman, J. Restrepo, R. Sause) is currently conducting a full-scale components test at the Real-time Multi-directional (RTMD) Earthquake Simulation Facility, the Lehigh NEES Equipment Site.

The testing of the anchorage system that uses a Buckling Restrained Brace in parallel with low damping rubber bearings will take place on Thursday, May 29, 2014 starting at 11 a.m. EST. Remote participation is available here: http://tpm.nees.lehigh.edu/portal?section=local_video

The inertial force generated in building systems during an earthquake ground motion is directly related to the floor – diaphragm acceleration and the seismic mass by the Newton’s second law of motion. In conventional earthquake resistant building systems the gravity load resisting system (GLRS), in particular, the floor system, where most of the seismic mass is located, is rigidly attached to the lateral force resisting system (LFRS), which resists the seismic inertial force. The inertial force is transferred from the GLRS to the LFRS assuming a rigid connection between the floor and the LFRS. An earthquake resistant building system that controls the earthquake induced floor acceleration in order to limit the generated inertial force and increase the reliability of the structure against collapse is being developed by a research team led by University of Arizona (R. Fleischman), and including University of California at San Diego (J. Restrepo) and Lehigh University (R. Sause).

The analysis, development, and experimental assessment of an innovative connection system between the floor and the lateral force resisting system for earthquake-resistant buildings is the focus of this research program. The main objective is to control of the response of the structure by limiting the floor acceleration, the inertial force and reducing the damage on the lateral force resisting system and the gravity load resisting system

Useful Links:

http://www.rtmd.lehigh.edu/projects/inertial-force-limiting-floor-anchorage-systems-for-seismic-resistant-
building-structures

http://www.neesr2011-rbf-ceem.arizona.edu/

http://nees.ucsd.edu/projects/2013-floor-anchorage/video-specimen-i.shtml

Practical Application

Large Scale Test at NEES@Lehigh RTMD Facility