Passive control systems for protection of cultural heritage objects

In this paper, the seismic performance of base-isolated block-like objects, such as museum artifacts and statues, is investigated. The structural model employed consists of a rigid block supported on a practically-rigid pedestal, beneath which the isolation system is accommodated. The rocking response of the rigid block subjected to base excitation is studied. The formulation of the problem involves derivation of the nonlinear equations of motion, transition criteria from one regime of motion to another and an appropriate impact model. Numerical results are generated to verify the efficiency of different types of passive-control systems in enhancing the seismic resilience of such artifacts against the effects of earthquakes.