How ISO-Base Technology Works
 

Base isolation is the cutting edge solution used by architects and engineers worldwide to protect buildings, bridges, and other structures from the damaging effects of earthquakes.

Seismic base isolation works by de-coupling a structure from seismic ground motions and vibrations, thereby eliminating or dramatically reducing the path through which damaging shock waves and vibrations can travel.

With the introduction of ISO-Base™ Seismic Isolation Platform technology, WST is the first to apply these proven engineering principles to seismically protect nonstructural building components and equipment.


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Bolted cabinet without ISO-Base

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Unbolted cabinet with ISO-Base

ISO-Base technology is the most effective way to protect your firm's mission-critical and expensive electronic equipment. A patented "geometry specific" isolation bearing is used to decouple the equipment (or any structure) from damaging ground motions.

At the heart of the system is the patented Ball-N-Cone™ seismic isolation bearing, consisting of two load plates with matching conical recesses sandwiched over a steel ball bearing.

This unique design allows the platform to roll smoothly and evenly while accepting input ground accelerations from any direction. Using gravity as a restoring force, the bearing re-centers itself as shaking intensity decreases. The bearing also works as a white-noise filter that virtually eliminates the transfer of seismic vibrations into sensitive componentry.

If all other peripheral systems (such as power) stay up and running, your isolated equipment can and will continue to operate and process data right on through a major earthquake.

ISO-Base™ base-isolation technology passed the intense UBC-Bellcore Engineering Test (R7.5), and was proven to exceed Seismic Zone 4 Requirements.


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Ball-N-Cone™ Seismic Isolation Bearing

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ISO-Base™ Platform Plank

Traditional rigid fastening methods of bolting and anchoring equipment to a raised floor or a concrete subfloor increases the load during seismic activity on the floor anchorage by as much as 2-1/2 times the item’s weight. Thus, a 1000-pound item could exert up to 2500 pounds of force on the floor.

ISO-Base™ platforms do just the opposite. During seismic activity, the floor loading from items placed on isolation platforms will actually be reduced by 90%; thus, while in motion, a base-isolated 1000-pound item would exert only about 100 pounds of force on the floor.

Using ISO-Base technology could mean the difference between a successful post-earthquake recovery or a major disaster due to a floor collapse.


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Floor collapse without ISO-Base

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Floor with ISO-Base

Click here for information about ISO-Base's Modular Open Frame Design

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