Passive and active seismic heatsinks: how they work and what are the differences

What is the difference between passive seismic heatsinks and active seismic devices like I-Pro 1?

As the name implies, i passive seismic dissipators are systems that they passively absorb energy freed from the earthquake. These solutions can be installed in different positions, atinterior of the structure or atbuilding exterior.

Conversely, systems such as the I-Pro active anti-seismic device 1 respond to the earthquake in a way intelligent and dynamic, detecting the movement of the building e developing a force of opposite sign to limit its movement. They install themselves directly on the roof of the building, without the need for special works.

I passive heatsinks therefore they are limited to mitigate the seismic action damping the oscillations of the building with added stiffness, while I-Pro 1 puts in place one seismic protection continuative, thanks to the sensors installed on the building, and is able to intervene only when necessary.

I ‑ Pro 1 uses analog accelerometric sensors for continuous dynamic monitoring of the building. In this way, the central computer connected to the I ‑ Pro 1 records and processes building data in real time and defines the amount of forces it has to deliver to minimize sway. ISAAC algorithms allow data to be processed directly on-edge with the highest degree of accuracy.

Passive seismic systems: what they are, how they work and what types exist

As we have already mentioned, the passive heatsinks they work by absorbing the seismic energy that is transmitted from the ground to the building, limiting the elastic range of the structure.

I main types of passive seismic dissipators are three::

• hysteretic dissipators (devices that exploit the plasticization of steel elements of suitable shape, designed to guarantee a stable cyclic behavior)
• viscous seismic dissipators (cylinder / piston devices in which the lamination of a silicone fluid through a suitable hydraulic circuit allows the dissipation of energy)
• tuned mass heatsinks (consisting of a mass / spring / dissipator system that is tuned to resonate at the disturbance frequency and thus dissipate the energy that is transferred from the structure to the device itself).

Integrate passive and active seismic systems

Given the characteristics and differences between passive and active heatsinks, which system to choose to protect a building? The different functioning and the different positioning of the devices allow to be able use these solutions together in the same building.

In this way the resistance to a possible earthquake is increased, combining an active and passive response of the building to solicitations. The I-Pro 1 device is suitable for reinforced concrete and steel buildings and therefore finds application in this type of structures.