Seismic protection by rocking with superelastic tendon restraint

Abstract

This article introduces an innovative system for enhancing the seismic performance of a structure through facilitating large rotational (rocking) motion to occur without risking overturning. The innovation of this study is in the use of tendons consisting of Nickel-Titanium (superelastic) alloy connected in series with steel to impose partial restraints to the structure when experiencing rocking motion. Importantly, the large rotational motion is fully recoverable. Existing installations which can be made to rock may also be retrofitted with the device for improving its seismic resistance. The original contributions of the article are the derivation, and experimental validation, of an analytical model for simulating the seismic performance of a system that has been fitted with the restraining device. In a parametric study employing the newly developed modelling techniques, major trends in the seismic response behaviour of the structure have been identified.