Parametric Comparison of Structures with and Without Base Isolation

Civil Engineering

The use of different techniques in the seismic prone regions to minimize the effect of seismic forces is not new. The most common technique being the use of shear walls to provide enough stiffness so as to decrease the sway of the building. The modern structures however may not be considered fully economical if the cost of the shear walls is exceeding a certain limit. To satisfy this need many innovative methods are deployed among which the use of base isolators is gaining popularity in designers. The concept of base isolator is rather simple that the support is given a degree of freedom to move independent of the superstructure because of which the base acts like a damper for the seismic or wind excitations and the superstructure remains lesser affected. Base isolators are used in many countries around the world to prevent any damage to the property or the occupants during and after the course of an earthquake. In the following discourse a comparison of a traditional RCC frame building with fixed supports to that of a building with rubber base isolator is done to check for the changes in the crucial parameters and at the end a comparison is made.

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