Study of wire rope devices for improving the re-centering capability of base isolated buildings

Wire rope devices have found numerous applications in the shock and vibration isolation of industrial machinery and equipment. The aim of the work is to present a preliminary investigation of their usefulness as a mean to increase the re-centering capability of the isolation system of a civil structure. In the first part of the study, analytical formulations have been developed to predict the restoring stiffness of wire rope devices depending on their material and geometrical properties, and the direction of loading. In the second part, a preliminary assessment of wire rope springs has been performed based on unidirectional shake table tests on a scaled steel structure isolated with curved surface slider and either or not provided with wire rope springs. The changes in the seismic response of the isolation system are analyzed and some suggestions for improving the use of wire rope devices are drawn.