CAREER: Passive Seismic Protective Systems for Nonstructural Systems and Components in Multistory Building

Howard University, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

The objective of this Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program award is to protect through isolation devices and energy dissipation mechanisms critical equipment and components within essential multistory buildings during earthquake events. This objective will be accomplished through theoretical analysis and real-environment, full-scale laboratory tests. Specific research tasks are aimed at (1) examining the ability of passive systems settings to protect critical equipment and components; (2) identifying optimal characteristics of the protective measures; (3) identifying and evaluating the applicability of performance limits of the passive systems under different types of ground motions; (4) validating the equipment-passive systems arrangements using the NEES facility at the University at Buffalo SUNY; and (5) implementing a framework for analysis, design, and implementation of the protective measures. This project aims to fill current gaps in knowledge regarding interrelationship among multiple variables controlling the behavior of equipment and components within multistory buildings during an earthquake. The expected contributions include the validation of high-performance platforms that permit straightforward predictions of performance of equipment and components, and cost-effective implementations of protective measures. The research and education plans include both industry cooperation for systems implementation and a comprehensive education program aimed at promoting participation of underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Implementing the seismic protective options emerging from this research will reduce the vulnerabilities during and after an earthquake of essential facilities, such as hospitals, data centers, emergency response centers, power plants, transportation management centers, and telecommunication centers. The envisioned seismic protective options are flexible mechanisms tailored to control or avoid earthquake damage on a building's essential equipment and on its components, by reducing accelerations and by controlling deformations and displacements. The research will directly address critical needs of the earthquake engineering community by validating high-performance options to protect equipment and components of essential facilities. The resulting guidelines for analysis, design, and implementation will promote and facilitate the adoption of seismic protection for equipment and components to be used in essential facilities. The research has the potential to significantly advance current nonstructural qualification practices and fragility testing methodologies. The multi-faceted education program of this project aims to increase participation of underrepresented groups in STEM by bringing together students from Howard University to provide industrial exposure and interdisciplinary experiences for students, inspire K-12 students to pursue science and engineering careers by conducting outreach activities in the Washington, D.C. area, motivate undergraduate and graduate student interests in K-12 outreach, and integrate research and coursework.