Influence of FPS bearing properties on the seismic performance of base-isolated structures

The paper analyzes the influence of friction pendulum system (FPS) isolator properties on the seismic performance of base-isolated building frames. The behavior of these systems is analyzed by employing a two-degree-of-freedom model accounting for the superstructure flexibility, whereas the FPS isolator behavior is described by adopting a widespread model that considers the variation of the friction coefficient with the velocity. The uncertainty in the seismic input is taken into account by considering a set of natural records with different characteristics scaled to increasing intensity levels. The variation of the statistics of the response parameters relevant to the seismic performance is investigated through the nondimensionalization of the motion equation and an extensive parametric study carried out for different isolator and system properties. The proposed approach allows to explore a wide range of situations while limiting the required nonlinear response history analyses. Two case studies consisting of base-isolated building frames described as shear-type systems are finally investigated in order to demonstrate the capabilities of the proposed simplified model in unveiling the essential characteristics of the performance of buildings isolated with FPS bearings. Copyright (c) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.