Breakthroughs in seismic isolation technologies for engineering structures

Seismic isolation technology has become a crucial element in enhancing the resilience of engineering structures against earthquake-induced forces. This paper provides a comprehensive review of current advancements in seismic isolation technologies, focusing on key categories: rubber isolation, friction isolation, rolling isolation, intelligent isolation, composite isolation, and other types of isolators. Each type is examined in detail, covering materials, device configurations, and structural performance under seismic loads. For example, Beijing Daxing International Airport, the world’s largest single isolated building, uses 1 152 bearings and 160 dampers to enhance seismic resilience. Bridges, such as the Benicia–Martinez Bridge in California, have adopted friction pendulum bearings to improve seismic performance while reducing construction costs. These case studies highlight the practical impact and effectiveness of seismic isolation across diverse engineering structures. The paper also delves into intelligent isolation systems, which incorporate adaptive control strategies to enhance seismic performance, and three-dimensional isolation systems, designed to address both horizontal and vertical seismic forces. The review concludes by discussing the challenges and future directions in the field, such as expanding 3D isolation applications. This review offers valuable insights into the evolution of seismic isolation technologies, advancing the current state of knowledge by providing a critical analysis of their performance, challenges, and future trends, ultimately guiding researchers and engineers toward more resilient structural solutions.