Experimental study on mechanical properties of a new type of VCFPB

The performance of a variable curvature friction pendulum bearing (VCFPB) is superior to a traditional friction pendulum because the VCFPB can isolate short- and long- period ground motion at the same time. However, the contact area between the spherical polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) plate and the metal slide decreases with the increase of slip displacement. This limits the isolation performance of VCFPB. In order to overcome this drawback, a new type of VCFPB is developed, in which the metal slide plate used for a traditional friction pendulum is replaced by two orthogonal opposed concave beams, and the plane PTFE plate is designed to replace the spherical PTFE. The mechanical properties of the new VCFPB were verified through a dynamic testing, and the mechanical model of the new VCFPB is established by the experimental data.