System for mitigating the effects of a seismic event

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016298352-A1
Application number	US-201415100333-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 2, 2014
Priority date	Dec 2, 2013
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A building structure having one or more of stories and including at least two columns supporting a first of the stories; where at least one of the columns is supported by at least one brace having a first portion and a second portion. The at least one brace has a first configuration in which the first portion is freely moveable with respect to the second portion such that a gap is formed in the brace preventing the transmission of force axially along the brace, and a second configuration in which the gap is closed by the first portion and the second portion being in contact to permit the transmission of forces axially along the brace. The second configuration occurs when the at least one column undergoes a level of deformation sufficient to force the gap to be closed.

First claim

1 . A building structure having at least one storey comprising:
at least one column; at least one brace attached at one end to one side of at least one of said columns and at a second end to a fixed foundation surface; said brace attached to the at least one column at an incline; said at least one brace having a first portion and a second portion; wherein said at least one brace has a first configuration in which the first portion is freely moveable with respect to the second portion such that a gap is formed in the brace preventing the transmission of force axially along the brace, and a second configuration in which the gap is closed by the first portion and the second portion being in contact to permit the transmission of forces axially along the brace; wherein said second configuration occurs when said at least one column undergoes a level of deformation sufficient to force the gap to be closed.

2 . The building structure according to claim 1 , wherein said second portion comprises a tubular shape member and said first portion is sized and otherwise dimensioned to be slidable within the tubular shape member.

3 . The building structure according to claim 2 , wherein said second portion further comprises a stop portion upon which said first portion bears when the gap is closed.

4 . The building structure according to claim 3 , wherein said stop portion is formed by a reduced cross-sectional dimension of said tubular member.

5 . The building structure according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one brace is connected at the one end directly to said at least one column.

6 . The building structure according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one brace is connected to a beam at a position proximate to said at least one column.

7 . The building structure according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one brace is attached to the column and to the fixed ground by pin joints.

8 . The building structure according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one brace is attached to the column using a bracket having a first end connected to said column and a second end offset from said column; said at least one brace attached to the second end with a pin joint.

9 . The building structure according to claim 1 , wherein one of said first and second portions includes an adjustment means for adjusting the length of one of said first and second portions.

10 . The building structure according to claim 9 , wherein said adjustment means comprises an axial length adjustment screw.

11 . The building structure according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one column comprises two outer columns.

12 . The building structure according to claim 11 , wherein said at least one brace comprises two braces supporting each of said columns; said two braces positioned on opposite sides of said columns.

13 . The building structure according to claim 11 , wherein said at least one brace comprises one brace supporting each of the columns and two braces supporting each of the at least one internal columns.

14 . The building structure according to claim 1 , further comprising a supplementary damping system for damping vibrations in the building structure.

15 . The building structure according to claim 1 , configured as a soft-storey structure.

16 . A brace for use in supporting at least one column in a structure as the column undergoes deformation; the brace comprising:
a first portion and a second portion; wherein the brace has a first configuration in which the first portion is freely moveable with respect to the second portion such that a gap is formed in the brace preventing the transmission of force axially along the brace, and a second configuration in which the gap is closed by the first portion and the second portion being in contact to permit the transmission of forces axially along the brace.

17 . The brace according to claim 16 , wherein said second portion comprises a tubular member and said first portion is sized and otherwise dimensioned to be slidable within the tubular member.

18 . The brace according to claim 17 wherein said second portion further comprises a stop portion upon which said first portion bears when the gap is closed.

19 . The brace according to claim 18 , wherein said stop portion is formed by a reduced cross-sectional dimension of said tubular member.

20 . The brace according to claim 16 , wherein one of said first and second portions includes an adjustment means for adjusting the length of one of said first and second portions.

21 . The brace according to claim 20 , wherein said adjustment means comprises an axial length adjustment screw.

22 . A building structure having at least one storey comprising:
at least one column; at least one brace attached at one end to one side of at least one of said columns; said brace attached to the at least one column at an incline; wherein said at least one brace has a first configuration in which a gap is formed by the brace preventing the transmission of force axially along the brace, and a second configuration in which the gap is closed permit the transmission of forces axially along the brace; wherein said second configuration occurs when said at least one column undergoes a level of deformation sufficient to force the gap to be closed.

23 . The building structure according to claim 22 , further comprising a disc-shaped element connected perpendicularly to another end of said brace such that said disc-shaped element is positioned at a non-orthogonal angle to ground when said at least one brace is in said first configuration and said disc-shaped element is positioned substantially flat on the ground when said at least one brace is in said second configuration.

24 . The building structure according to claim 23 , further comprising a stop element positioned between said at least one column and said at least one brace such that said disc-shaped element bears against said stop element in said first configuration.

25 . The building structure according to claim 22 , further comprising
a spherical element positioned on each face of said at least one column and a ring member located around said at least one column, such that an inner surface of said ring member is spaced from said spherical elements in said first configuration; said at least one brace connected at another end to said ring member; wherein each of said at least one braces are connected via a pin joint to said ring member; such that said ring member moves horizontally towards one of said spherical elements and bears against said one of said spherical elements in said second configuration.

26 . The building structure according to claim 22 , further comprising
a ring member located around said at least one column, such that an inner surface of said ring member is spaced from said column; a stop member positioned axially away from an outer surface of said ring member such that the gap is formed between the outer surface of said ring member and an inner surface of said stop member in said first configuration; said at least one brace connected at another end to said ring member; wherein each of said at least one braces are connected via a pin joint to said ring member; such that said ring member moves towards one of said stop members and bears against said one of said stop members in said second configuration.

Assignees

• Governing Council Univ Toronto

Inventors

• Agha Beigi Hossein
• Christopoulos Constantin
• Sullivan Timothy John

Classifications

• E04G23/0218

  Increasing or restoring the load-bearing capacity of building construction elements (E04G23/0203 and E04G23/0266 take precedence) · CPC title

• E04B1/98

  against vibrations or shocks (on foundations E02D31/08); against mechanical destruction, e.g. by air-raids (against incendiary damage only E04B1/94; finishing work therefor E04F; buildings withstanding earthquake or the like, shelters, arrangements of splintercatching walls E04H9/00) · CPC title

• E02D27/34

  Foundations for sinking or earthquake territories (building constructions with protection arrangements against earthquakes E04H9/02) · CPC title

• E04H9/027 Primary

  Preventive constructional measures against earthquake damage in existing buildings · CPC title

• E04H9/028

  Earthquake withstanding shelters · CPC title