Dear Mr. Gaetano Pianese,

As you may know due to my works Armenia is well advanced in development and application of seismic isolation systems/technologies. I suggest you to read my following paper published in USA: Armenia is the World Leader in Development and Extensive Application of Low-Cost Seismic Isolation for Construction of New and Retrofitting of Existing Buildings. - Journal of Architecture and Construction (JAC), Volume 3, Issue 3, 2020, pp.43-60, ISSN: 2637-5796.

Your PhD research is very important, however, instead of you I would not underline that it is only for developing countries. If you succeed in your research, then your results can be used in developed countries as well.

Answering to your question I would say that if you get reliable results, then fiber-reinforced elastomeric isolators would be allowed for application in any country. Why not? For example, we can use them also in Armenia. But of course, we would need to incorporate such devices in our Code. I do not know today any country where fiber-reinforced elastomeric isolators are included in the Code and have a large application as, for example, laminated rubber-steel bearings.

Concluding, I can tell that as the author of Chapter X "Buildings and Structures with Seismic Isolation Systems" of the Armenian Seismic Code, I can work on this matter trying to incorporate fiber-reinforced elastomeric isolators in our Code. But I must be sure that your isolators have already been comprehensively tested and implemented at least in Italy. Hope the above is of help.

Best regards,

Mikayel Melkumyan

Doctor of Sciences (Engineering), Professor

Academician of the Saint-Petersburg Arctic Academy of Sciences

Academician of the Athens Institute for Education and Research

President of the Armenian Association for Earthquake Engineering

Vice-President of the International Association of CIS Countries on Base Isolation

Member of the American Association for Science and Technology

Foreign member of the Research Center of Seismic Resistant Structures of the Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo

Eminent Expert of the Committee of Eminent Experts in International Research Base of Seismic Mitigation and Isolation of Gansu Province in China

Dear Professor Mikayel Gregor Melkumyan,

thanks for your answer, really interesting and helpful.

My question is not on the use of fiber-reinforced elastomeric isolators, but on their application in unbounded conditions, without any steel support and any connection with the superstructure and the foundations.

Best regards,

Gaetano Pianese

Dear Mr. Gaetano Pianese,

I clearly understood your question and, therefore, I have mentioned that "I must be sure that your isolators have already been comprehensively tested and implemented at least in Italy". This means that you have to show us the way on how are you going to apply them in unbounded conditions? With this purpose you can present some part of your paper, or drawing, photo, etc. This will help us to make more precise comments.

Best regards,

Prof. Dr. Mikayel Melkumyan

Dear Mikayel Gregor Melkumyan,

thanks again for your fast answer. I have published on researchgate some studies about it.

Following a picture that can clarify the unbonded application.

Dear Mr. Gaetano Pianese,

Your question "I would like to know in which countries are allowed their unbonded applications (without any steel support, in direct contact to the foundations and to the superstructure)" was not clear to me. Now, after you have sent per my request some drawings, everything became clear.

I can tell you that the second picture where the isolator is connected to the foundation and superstructure with recessed rings is the exactly way I am using extensively and long time in Armenia. There is nothing new to me in this approach. And I would not call this application as unbonded.

Best regards,

Prof. Dr. Mikayel Melkumyan

Dear Professor Dr. Mikayel Melkumyan,

yes, exactly. The second picture is nothing new, it's the classic bonded application. If you open the picture, the last row shows the unbonded application.

Following the study "Mitigation of Seismic Vulnerability of Prototype Low-Rise Masonry Building Using U-FREIs": https://ascelibrary.org/doi/pdf/10.1061/%28ASCE%29CF.1943-5509.0001136

Best regards,

Gaetano Pianese