Seismic Collapse Probability and Life Cycle Cost Assessment of Isolated Structures Subjected to Pounding With Smart Hybrid Isolation System Using a Modified Fuzzy Based Controller

The possibility of pounding on isolated structures with surrounding moat walls is one of the concerns in the design of isolation systems, especially in pulse-type near-field earthquakes. This paper puts forward the seismic probability assessment of structures equipped with passive and smart hybrid isolation systems by considering pounding possibilities. This investigation is performed on isolated structures equipped with a high damper rubber bearing (HDRB) considering stiff moat walls around the structure. In the Hybrid isolation system, magnetorheological dampers (MR) are considered an adaptive dissipation energy device along with isolators using an optimized novel interval Type-2 fuzzy logic controller with adaptive red-zone function (IT2FS+RZF) to reduce pounding possibilities. The fragility curves of the building for various cases are determined using IDA analysis, and possible damage costs are evaluated by using exceedance probability in each damage level. This study concludes that the collapse probability of the isolated structures with restrains at the code-based distance is over the acceptable limit of ASCE 7-22. The smart additional damping system with the proposed controller reduces the possible damage cost of the building by about 64% compared to the uncontrolled system and puts the collapse probability of the structure in the acceptable range.

Developing a simplified method for analysis and design of isolated structures with the novel quintuple friction pendulum system under bidirectional near-field excitations

Simplified analysis methods for seismically isolated structures proposed in recent structural codes and specifications are frequently used to reduce the computational effort and to simplify the design procedure, either directly for special cases or for checking the results of nonlinear response history analysis. Of the approximate methods, the equivalent lateral force procedure using the effective stiffness and effective damping is one of the best known. In this study, the simplified method is developed by combining the equivalent lateral force procedure with the capacity spectrum method and evaluated in terms of maximum isolator displacements and base shears for isolated structures with recently invented quintuple friction pendulum isolators , with different geometrical and frictional properties, under two different response spectra with corresponding two different sets of bidirectional near-field ground motions for stiff and soft soils site classes. In order to assess the accuracy of the simplified method, the delivered results of the ELF procedure are compared to those of nonlinear response history analysis, by modelling the quintuple friction pendulum isolator 3D element in OpenSees. Eventually, comments on the accuracy of the simplified method are given to make its applications more appropriate in practical design of base isolation systems.

Phytosterols: Potential Metabolic Modulators in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Phytosterols constitute a class of natural products that are an important component of diet and have vast applications in foods, cosmetics, and herbal medicines. With many and diverse isolated structures in nature, they exhibit a broad range of biological and pharmacological activities. Among over 200 types of phytosterols, stigmasterol and β-sitosterol were ubiquitous in many plant species, exhibiting important aspects of activities related to neurodegenerative diseases. Hence, this mini-review presented an overview of the reported studies on selected phytosterols related to neurodegenerative diseases. It covered the major phytosterols based on biosynthetic considerations, including other phytosterols with significant in vitro and in vivo biological activities.