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Development of a Low-Cost Single-Axis Shake Table Based on Arduino

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Abstract

Experimental setup for studying the behavior of structures are large and require high investment costs. However, comparing theoretical results to the dynamic behavior of structures using scaled structure models is a preferred research method in civil engineering. Therefore, a low-cost shake table named SARSAR with Arduino microcontroller boards has been developed for earthquake simulations. The horizontal components of the acceleration records obtained from past earthquakes are scaled and transferred to the shake table by developing software programs using an Arduino DUE board. For verification, the response of the table is measured by a data acquisition unit based on an Arduino MEGA board. The seismic ground motion along the horizontal axis is transferred to the shake table via a linear actuator system built with a ball screw assembly, linear bearings and a stepper motor.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank to Koray Gürkan from the Electric and Electronics Department, Cenk Alhan and Savaş Erdem from the Civil Engineering Department and Yener Taşkın from the Mechanical Engineering Department of Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa for their Contribution and help.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa, Avcılar, 34320, Istanbul, Turkey

    E. Damcı

  2. Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Dogus University, Acibadem, Kadiköy, 34722, Istanbul, Turkey

    Ç. Şekerci

Authors
  1. E. Damcı
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  2. Ç. Şekerci
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. Damcı.

Electronic supplementary material

Online Resource 1

Arduino code for the data acquisition part of the control unit of shake table SARSAR is given in the file ESM_1.txt. (TXT 9.48 kb)

Online Resource 2

Arduino code for the simulation of ±60 mm simple harmonic motion at 0.2 Hz is given in the file ESM_2. txt. (TXT 87.2 kb)

Online Resource 3

Arduino code for the simulation of ±40 mm simple harmonic motion at 1.75 Hz is given in the file ESM_3. txt. (TXT 57.5 kb)

Online Resource 4

Arduino code for the simulation 1999 Düzce Earthquake in 1/15 displacement scale is given in the file ESM_4. txt. (TXT 202 kb)

Online Resource 5

Arduino code for the simulation 1994 Northridge Earthquake in 1/15 displacement scale is given in the file ESM_5. txt. (TXT 171 kb)

Appendices

Appendix 1

Table 4 Prices of the main components of shake table SARSAR
Full size table

Appendix 2

Videos for earthquake and harmonic motion simulations can be found at www.sarsar.net.

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Damcı, E., Şekerci, Ç. Development of a Low-Cost Single-Axis Shake Table Based on Arduino. Exp Tech 43, 179–198 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40799-018-0287-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40799-018-0287-5

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