Designing for extreme events: Behavior of isolated structures subjected to impact

While it is well known that isolators provide enhanced seismic performance to structures under design basis ground motions, excessive displacements in large earthquakes may induce detrimental pounding of base-isolated structures against the moat wall or the restraining rim of friction pendulum bearings, resulting in yielding or even collapse of the superstructure. While codes have focused on designing typical non-isolated structures to ensure …