MRI: Acquisition of a Shake Table for Research on Seismic Stability of Rock Masses

这一重大研究仪器(MRI)奖是为了奖励一吨容量的振动台，该台台主要用于研究岩石巨石和斜坡在地震载荷下的稳定性。克赖斯特彻奇系列地震中大量建筑物被毁，死伤人数众多，表明崩塌和岩崩在地震期间是严重的潜在危险。震动台将被用来调查导致岩石坠落和滑坡的机制，目的是确定潜在的危险区域，并开发减轻这些危险的方法。此外，振动台将用于研究通过基础隔震技术隔震结构的方法。将获得一吨重的振动台。振动台将与设备一起交付，以允许一维振动，但未来可能会扩展为允许二维振动。一个独特的功能是与机器控制系统同步的高速侧视摄像机，旨在允许涉及多个岩块系统的数据收集。从历史上看，在结构工程和结构动力学、土力学和(土壤)边坡稳定性等领域，已经进行了大量的振动台研究，而使用岩石或岩石类材料进行的研究则要少得多。振动台将支持的研究活动包括：1)块状岩石系统对地震荷载的响应，2)使用不稳定的块体来提供历史震动的估计，以及3)开发/测试廉价的基础设施基础隔震系统，等等。摇摆台将显著增强蒙大拿理工大学的研究能力，蒙大拿理工大学是一所以本科生为主的机构。振动台的使用将被纳入两门本科工程课程的实验中。

This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award is for the acquisition of a one-ton capacity shake table to be used predominately for research on the stability of rock boulders and slopes during seismic loading. As evidenced by the large number of structures destroyed and the number of people killed and injured during the Christchurch series of earthquakes, rockfalls and rock slides are serious potential dangers during earthquakes. The shake table will be used to investigate the mechanisms causing rock falls and slides with the objectives of identifying potential hazardous areas and developing methods of mitigating these hazards. Additionally, the shake table will be used for research on methods of isolating structures from seismic ground motion through base isolation techniques.A one-ton shake table will be acquired. The shake table will be delivered with the equipment to allow 1-D shaking, but could be expanded to allow 2-D shaking in the future. A unique feature, designed to allow data collection involving systems of multiple rock blocks, is a high-speed side-view video camera synched to the machine control system. Historically, a significant volume of shake table research has been done in the fields of structural engineering and structural dynamics, and soil mechanics and (soil) slope stability; much less has been done using rock or rock-like materials, as proposed here. Research activities to be enabled by the shake table include: 1) Response of Blocky Rock Systems to Seismic Loads, 2) Use of Precarious Blocks to Provide Estimates of Historic Shaking, and 3) Development/Testing of Inexpensive Infrastructure Base Isolation Systems, among others. The shake table will significantly enhance the research capabilities of Montana Tech, a primarily undergraduate institution. Use of the shake table will be incorporated into labs in two undergraduate engineering courses.