Over 10,000 structures have been protected in the world by antiseismic systems and
devices, namely by seismic isolation and energy dissipation systems, shape memory
alloy devices and shock transmitter units. Such structures are located mostly in
Japan, but they are more or less numerous in over 30 other countries as well — for
example, in the Peoples’ Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the United
States, Italy and even countries with very a limited population like Armenia and New
Zealand. The number of such systems and devices is increasing everywhere, although
the extent of their use is strongly influenced by earthquake experience and
the features of the design rules used. Applications have been developed for
both new and existing structures of all kinds: bridges and viaducts, civil
and industrial buildings, cultural heritage and industrial components and
installations, including some high risk plants. The use of such systems in a
civil context already includes not only strategic structures (civil defense
centers, hospitals, etc.) and public ones (schools, churches, commercial centers,
hotels, airports, etc.), but also residential buildings and even many small
private houses. This paper provides an overview on the dissemination of such
applications worldwide, based on the most recent information available to the
authors. Particular attention is paid to Italy, in the context of specific seismic
events — for example, the Molise and Puglia event (October 31, 2002) and that of
Abruzzo (April 6, 2009) — and the lessons learned from them. Information
is also provided on the features of the Abruzzo event, the development of
national seismic design rules (which became obligatory only after that event)
and some very recent decisions on the part of the Italian government which
promote the use of seismic isolation and energy dissipation to enhance the
safety level of structures, especially schools. The paper focuses mainly on
seismically isolated buildings, but some information is also provided on the use of
other antiseismic systems, devices, and applications to structures other than
buildings.
Keywords
passive control, seismic isolation, energy dissipation,
SMADs, STUs, new constructions, retrofit, schools,
hospitals, dwellings, residential buildings, cultural
heritage, industrial installations and components, high
risk plants
