Development of Seismic Protective Technologies for Ceiling-Piping-Partition Nonstructural Systems (PI)
Funded by: Sub-Award from the University of Nevada, Reno
Date: January 2012 to August 2015
This is study is dedicated to the development of seismic protective technologies for nonstructural systems, with a focus on suspended acoustic tile ceiling systems. Nonstructural systems represent 75% of the value of typical buildings. They are particularly susceptible to earthquake shakings. The seismic damage to nonstructural systems has been estimated to account for 70%-80% of the total cost of damage in recent earthquakes. The advent of seismic protective systems and the development of details and devices that make the system less vulnerable significantly reduce losses in future earthquakes. The project comprises the following major tasks:
Task 1- Collect and Study Domestic and International Technical Literature Related to the Seismic Protection of Nonstructural Systems
Task 2- Develop a Detailed Computational Model for Ceiling Systems Using OpenSees
Task 3- Develop and Experimentally Validate the Energy Dissipation Devices Specifically designed for Nonstructural Systems
Task 4- Perform an Extensive Parametric Study on a Variety of Ceiling Geometries and Systems with and without the Protective Devices
Task 5- Develop Easy-to-Implement Recommendations to Facilitate the Employment of the Proposed Seismic Protective Techniques.
