Energy response analysis of adjacent structures with polymer bumpers under seismic loadings

Insufficient gap between adjacent buildings may lead serious poundings under seismic loadings. Installing polymer bumpers may decrease the pounding forces between colliding buildings, which can prevent column yielding from overlarge shearing forces. This article focuses on the analysis on energy responses of adjacent structures equipped with polymer bumpers. Based on a novel pounding analysis method, systematic comparisons of structural pounding performance are conducted and specific results are obtained and discussed. First, time history responses for pounding force, displacements, and yielding shearing forces in selected floors are calculated. Then, energy response analysis considering viscoelasticity of bumpers is investigated. Afterward, under different seismic waves, input energy response, pounding force procedures, and story displacements are studied and discussed. And finally, parametric studies on energy responses, including gaps, sizes, and viscoelasticity parameters, are carried out to investiga...