Seismic isolation and other seismic vibrations control techniques of structures in Europe

Nowadays, most modern techniques for the control of seismic vibrations – namely seismic isolation, passive energy dissipation and systems formed by shock transmitters or shape memory alloy devices – are considered to be already fully mature technologies of providing a mitigation of seismic damage for civil structures and equipment and have proven to be reliable and cost-effective for bridges and viaducts, civil buildings, cultural heritage and critical facilities. There are already approximately 3,000 applications of such techniques in various countries, which concern not only new constructions, but also several retrofits of existing,frequently important, structures. This paper summarizes the most recent development and application of the aforesaid techniques, focusing on those concerning Europe. Reference is made to the results of the 7th International Seminar on Seismic Isolation, Passive Energy Dissipation and Active Control of Vibrations of Structures, held at Assisi (Italy) in October 2001, and newer information.