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

这项重大研究仪器（MRI）奖是为了获得一个一吨容量的振动台，主要用于研究地震荷载期间岩石巨石和斜坡的稳定性。 在基督城系列地震中，大量建筑物被摧毁，伤亡人数众多，这表明落石和岩崩是地震中严重的潜在危险。 振动台将用于调查造成罗克瀑布和滑动的机制，目的是确定潜在的危险区域并制定减轻这些危险的方法。 此外，该振动台还将用于研究基础隔震技术对结构地震反应的影响，并将获得一个1吨级的振动台。 振动台将与设备一起交付，以允许1-D振动，但将来可以扩展到允许2-D振动。一个独特的功能，旨在允许数据收集涉及系统的多个岩石块，是一个高速侧视摄像机同步到机器控制系统。 从历史上看，在结构工程和结构动力学以及土壤力学和（土壤）边坡稳定性领域已经进行了大量的振动台研究;使用岩石或岩石类材料进行的研究要少得多。通过振动台进行的研究活动包括：1）块状岩石系统对地震荷载的响应，2）使用不稳定块体来提供历史振动的估计，以及3）开发/测试廉价的基础设施基础隔震系统等。 摇表将显着提高蒙大拿理工大学，主要是本科院校的研究能力。 振动台的使用将被纳入两个本科工程课程的实验室。

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.