Application of active base isolation system using absolute vibration control technology

Abstract

An active base isolation system, which uses absolute vibration control technology, has been applied to the real full scale building, Obayashi Corporation Technical Research Institute Main Building 'Techno-Station'. This building is the first active base isolation building all over the world. The absolute vibration control is an active vibration control method for base isolated structures to stay in the absolute space and to have vibration free environment, by applying control forces through actuators during earthquakes. Four 1100kN hydraulic actuators, two in each horizontal direction, are installed in the Techno Station to reduce the seismic response to 1/10 of the conventional passive base isolation system. When applying active control to a real full scale building, it is necessary to install fail safe mechanism in case that actuators are over-loaded by input ground motion of more than expected level or unstable control condition. As fail safe mechanism for this absolute vibration control, the trigger system using friction dampers has been developed and is installed between actuators and reaction foundations. © 2012 The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers.