Seismic Response and Performance Evaluation of Self-Centering LRB Isolators Installed on the CBF Building under NF Ground Motions

This paper mainly treats the seismic behavior of lead-rubber bearing (LRB) isolation systems with superealstic shape memory alloy (SMA) bending bars functioning as damper and self-centering devices. The conventional LRB isolators that are usually installed at the column bases supply extra flexibility to the centrically braced frame (CBF) building with a view to elongate its vibration period, and thus make a contribution to mitigating seismic acceleration transferred from ground to structure. However, these base isolation systems are somehow susceptible to shear failure due to the lack of lateral resistance. In the construction site, they have been used to be integrated with displacement control dampers additionally withstanding lateral seismic forces. For this motivation, LRB isolation systems equipped with superelastic SMA bending bars, which possess not only excellent energy dissipation but also outstanding recentering capability, are proposed in this study. These reinforced and recentering LRB base isolators are modeled as nonlinear component springs, and then assigned into the bases of 2D frame models used for numerical simulation. Their seismic performance and capacity in the base-isolated frame building can be evaluated through nonlinear dynamic analyses conducted with historic ground motion data. After comparative study with analyses results, it is clearly shown that 2D frame models with proposed LRB isolators generally have smaller maximum displacements than those with conventional LRB isolators. Furthermore, the LRB isolation systems with superelastic SMA bending bars effectively reduce residual displacement as compared to those with steel bending bars because they provide more flexibility and recentering force to the entire building structure.