Most recent experimental and numerical studies performed in Italy on seismic isolation

In order to verify the applicability of seismic isolation to high risk plants such as nuclear reactors, static and dynamic tests have been performed in Italy on isolation rubber bearings, rubber specimens, isolated structure mock-ups and actual isolated civil buildings since 1989. Simplified and detailed numerical models of isolators and isolated structures have also been developed and applied, and considerable work has been made for the preparation of design guidelines for isolated structures. This paper summarizes the main features and results of R and D activities, focussing on those performed after the 11th SMiRT Conference. (author)