Preserving a National Treasure: Seismic Isolation of Space Shuttle Endeavour

Abstract eng:
This paper describes performance based seismic design of the support structure for the Space Shuttle Endeavour in launchready position that will be exhibited in the new California Science Center Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center building. The project is in the final construction document phase. Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects LLP (ZGF) are the project architects. Arup North America Limited (Arup) are the multidisciplinary engineering consultants, including structural engineering. This national treasure is preserved by utilizing seismic isolation concept with friction pendulum isolators. The design relies on six friction-pendulum seismic isolators to break the horizontal connection between the orbiter and the ground in the event of an earthquake. The seismic isolators enable Endeavour to glide gently back and forth on low-friction sliders, thus protecting the shuttle support structure and the shuttle itself from the direct impact of an earthquake. The Space Shuttle Exhibit (Stack) is comprised of the Orbiter Endeavour (ORB), an External Tank (ET), two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs), and connection hardware/elements (CHE) that the Science Center has acquired from various sources. All of the artifacts are real flight hardware originally designed for use in the NASA space shuttle program. The ORB is attached to the ET and is cantilevered nearly 25 feet from the center of SRB supports. The Stack is connected to the isolated concrete pad at the same 8 hold-down anchor locations in the SRBs, 4 at each SRB, used during actual launches. Due to the large eccentricity of the Orbiter’s center of gravity with respect to the centroid of the SRB to concrete pad connection, the Stack experiences permanent overturning at the base of the SRBs, which amplifies with the seismic loads. This level of overturning creates significant axial tension in the SRB hold downs. Due to eccentricity of the Orbiter, vertical seismic motion is an important factor for the performance of the Stack. This paper aims to describe the approach to the design of the supporting structure and the performance evaluation of the Stack members under seismic loads.

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