A Shaking Table Test for Equipment Isolation in the NPP (I): Rubber Bearing

In this study, the base isolation systems for equipment in the NPP are presented and the responses of each isolation system are investigated. As for the base isolation systems, a natural rubber bearing (NRB) and a high damping rubber bearing (HDRB) are selected. As input motions, artificial time histories enveloping the US NRC RG 1.60 spectrum and the probability-based scenario earthquake spectra developed for the Korean nuclear power plant site as well as a typical near-fault earthquake record are used. Uniaxial, biaxial, and triaxial excitations are conducted with PGAs of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.25g. The reduction of the seismic forces transmitted to the equipment models are determined for different isolation systems and input motions.