The limits of the conventional fixed-base seismic design of structures are stressed, together with the capability of the modern seismic vibration passive control (SVPC) techniques to overcome such limits, for both new and existing constructions. The main features of such techniques (seismic isolation, energy dissipation and those using shock transmitters and shape memory alloys) are summarized....

Abstract—In this paper, an advanced Nonlinear Exponential Model (NEM), able to simulate the uniaxial dynamic behavior of seismic isolators having a continuously decreasing tangent stiffness with increasing displacement in the relatively large displacements range and a hardening or softening behavior at large displacements, is presented. The mathematical model is validated by comparing the exper...

Abstract—The nonlinear time history analysis of seismically base-isolated structures can require a significant computational effort when the behavior of each seismic isolator is predicted by adopting the widely used differential equation Bouc-Wen model. In this paper, a nonlinear exponential model, able to simulate the response of seismic isolation bearings within a relatively large displacemen...