Aseismatic system for constructions such as buildings, dry bridges, tanks and like

• US 5,713,162 A
• Filed: 12/14/1995
• Issued: 02/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Franco Braga, Pellegrino Gallo
• Original Assignee: Franco Braga, Pellegrino Gallo
• Inventors: Braga, Franco, Gallo, Pellegrino
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US08/572,758
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 52/167.1, 52/167.6, 52/167.2, 52/167.8
• US Class Current: 52/167.1
• CPC Class Codes: E01D 19/02 Piers E01D19/005 takes precedence; towers for suspension bridges E01D19/14; Abutments foundations E02D ; Protecting same against drifting ice against colliding vehicles E01F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: E01D 19/04 Bearings E01D19/005 takes precedence; specially for movable bridges E01D15/005 - E01D15/10; Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 27/34 Foundations for sinking or earthquake territories building constructions with protection arrangements against earthquakes E04H9/02
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 9/023 and comprising rolling elements, e.g. balls, pins

Abstract

An aseismatic system for constructions such as buildings, bridges, tanks and like comprising abutment/decoupling means for the deck structure from the piers or for the building from its foundation as well as return means for resisting any relative displacements between the deck structure and the piers or between the building and its foundation, which is based upon the principle to prevent the bridge or the building to be subjected to the seismic effects caused by the deck structure mass by decoupling the construction on the horizontal plane by means of said multi-directional movable abutment means, with nearly null resistance to sliding movements and by means of a connection between the deck structure and its abutment members based upon a swinging device adapt to exert a predetermined action of constant value.

Claims

1. As aseismatic system for supported structures such as buildings, dry bridges and tanks carried by supporting structures such as foundations and piers, characterized in that said system comprises

abutment/decoupling means for disposition between a supported structure and a supporting structure for operatively and supportively coupling the supported structuring on the supporting structure, and being responsive to a seismic event for decoupling the supported structure from the supporting structure, and

return means including rope means connecting said return means to said abutment/decoupling means for resisting relative displacements between the supported structure and the supporting structure upon decoupling of the supported structure from the supporting structure at said abutment/decoupling means with a force of constant value independent of said relative displacement.

2. An aseismatic system according to claim 1, wherein said abutment/decoupling means comprise superimposed plate means for connection to the supported structure and the supporting structure, respectively, such plate means defining first and second parallel and superimposed recesses, and first and second roller sets respectively housed within said first and second parallel recesses.

3. An aseismatic system according to claim 2, characterized in that said first and second roller sets are orthogonally arranged.

4. An aseismatic system according to claim 2 or 3 characterized in that said abutment/decoupling means define a third recess superiorly arranged with respect to said first and second recesses, said third recess being bound by the one of said plate means for connection to the supported structure and receiving said rope means.

5. An aseismatic system according to claim 4 wherein said third recess is provided with means for retaining said rope means.

6. An aseismatic system according to claim 2 or 3 characterized in that said plate means are interconnected with each other at their ends by attachment/contrast pin means.

7. An aseismatic system according to claim 2, wherein said rollers are provided at their ends with pinions meshed with corresponding racks provided on said superimposed plate means.

8. An aseismatic system according to claim 1 wherein said return means comprise resilient spring means, counterweight means of predetermined weight, said resilient spring means having a lower end for attachment to the supporting structure and an upper end connected to said counterweight means by first rope means slidably extending through pulley means, and thimble means connected to said pulley to said abutment/decoupling means by second rope means received in recesses in said abutment/decoupling means.

9. An aseismatic system according to claim 8 wherein said counterweight means are adapted to be arranged under the supported structure in symmetrical position with respect to said abutment/decoupling means so that, when said return means is in balanced position, each of said first and second rope means received by and attached to said abutment/decoupling means is acted upon by a force equal to the weight of said counterweight means.

10. An aseismatic system according to claim 9, wherein the force acting upon said resilient spring means is equal to the weight of said counterweight means.

11. An aseismatic system according to claim wherein said counterweight means, said pulley means and said resilient spring means have guides to prevent transverse movement with respect to the supporting structures.

12. An aseismatic system according to claim 11, characterized in that said resilient spring means have equalizer means at their upper ends balancing loads applied to said spring means.

13. An aseismatic system according to claim 12, characterized in that said resilient spring means and said counterweight means are associated with one another by making the spring means operate by extension and by a relay pulley system to reduce forces applied to said counterweight means by said spring means in order to halve the weight necessary for the counterweight means.

14. An aseismatic system according to claim 12, characterized in that said resilient spring means and said counterweight means are associated with one another so as to make the spring means operate by compression and by a relay pulley system to reduce forces applied to said counterweight means by said spring means in order to halve the weight necessary for the counterweight means.

15. An aseismatic system according to claim 12, characterized in that said resilient spring means and said counterweight means are associated with one another so as to make the spring means operate by extension and by utilizing a doubled mass counterweight means.

16. An aseismatic system according to claim 12 characterized in that said resilient spring means and said counterweight means are associated with one another so as to make the spring means operate by compression and by utilizing a doubled mass counterweight means.