Seismic Base Isolation

DOE-STD-1020-2002

carefully followed with the same considerations as outlined in Chapter 2. As discussed in

Chapter 2, the IBC provisions are appropriate for PC-1 and PC-2 SSCs. It is not recommended

that seismic base isolation be considered for Performance Category 3 or 4 SSCs until there is

specific guidance or criteria for its use in the DOE.

There are important technical and economic issues that should be considered before

applying seismic base isolation to a SSC. Technical issues include the local site conditions, the

structural configuration of the SSC, additional structural considerations for the SSC in order to

properly accommodate seismic base isolation, and the interaction of the isolated SSC and

adjacent SSCs. Economic issues include additional design and analysis efforts beyond that

which is typically required for traditional design techniques, special provisions to meet

regulatory requirements, and the techniques for properly evaluating the cost/benefit ratios of a

base isolated SSC. While these technical and economic issues are not all-inclusive, they provide

an indication of the care and precautions that should be exercised when considering seismic base

isolation. Adequate evaluations are needed to determine, on a case-by-case basis, if seismic base

isolation is a viable design option or if it is not an appropriate design solution.

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