HYBRID SIMULATION TEST FOR HIGH DAMPING RUBBER BEARING IN LOW TEMPERATURE

Abstract

 Application of high-damping seismic isolation rubber bearings to bridges in cold regions raises concerns about the effect of low temperature on the hysteresis characteristics of the rubber bearings and the resulting detrimental effect on the seismic performance of the isolated bridges. In the low temperature environment, the stiffness and damping of the high-damping rubber bearing increase significantly. And this is also accompanied with the influence of internal temperature change due to self-heating, resulting in complex historical restoring force characteristics varying with time. In this study, a series of substructure hybrid simulation tests were conducted to simulate the seismic response of a bridge structure, using a loading system that can test a high-damping rubber bearing specimen under low temperature conditions by using a thermostatic casing and air cooling system. The test results indicate that the maximum response displacement and acceleration of the bridge piers increase with decreasing temperature in the low-temperature environment compared with the room temperature environment, and the seismic action that acts on the piers is larger than that assumed in the design at the room temperature.