Shaking table test study on mid-story isolation structures with viscous damper

Mid-story isolation structure is developing from base isolation structures. As a complex structural system, the work mechanism of base isolation structure is not entirely appropriate for mid-story isolation structure, and the prolonging of structural natural period may not be able to decrease the seismic response of substructure and superstructure simultaneously. In this paper, for a four-story steel frame model, whose prototype first natural period is about is without seismic isolation design, the seismic responses and isolation effectiveness of mid-story isolation system with linear natural rubber bearing and viscous damper are studied experimentally by changing the location of isolation layer. Respectively, the locations of isolation layer are set at bottom of the first story, top of the first story, top of the second story and top of the third story. The results show that mid-story isolation can reduce seismic response in general, and substructure acceleration may be amplified.