Mechanical attenuator

摘要

A mechanical attenuating system for preventing horizontal forces from being transmitted from a base such as the ground to a structure such as a building or a nuclear reactor resting on that base. The system has two components: a vertical support which allows free relative horizontal movement between structure and base, and horizontal damping. The two can be combined into a single instrument. When the two are used separately, the support may be supplied by rubber or rolling bearings, by flexible columns or by tendons.