RESEARCH INTO A NEW STRUCTURAL SOLUTION APPLICABLE TO FOUNDATIONS RESTING ON THE SLIDING LAYER
The authors provide solutions to the relevant issue of development and construction of foundations resting on a sliding layer as a method of external seismic protection of buildings and structures. The authors have developed a system of automated operating control over the external seismic protection of buildings (structures) that represents an automatic switch of the emergencylevel seismic load. The authors have filed an application for the registration of their invention. The proposed solution has everything in place to be widely applied to improve the seismic protection of buildings and structures, especially those resting on problematic soils. The authors provide their description of a paradox of foundations: foundations are analyzed in terms of "upside-down" loads, whereas seismic loads have an opposite direction. The authors provide their solutions to this problem. The authors argue that methods of seismic protection incorporated into effective regulations are limited, and they do not constitute any external seismic protection methods, whereas the application of seismic isolation inside buildings is unreasonable, as it is limited by the requirement to install it "above the foundation". Presently, the above methods are being reworked into foundation platforms resting on a sliding layer. Their efficiency has been proven by a computerized model and a theoretical analysis. The authors also provide their argumentation in favour of the conclusion that relevant seismic protection development trends are to incorporate advanced structural solutions, including methods of external seismic protection.