Historically, it had been a struggle for many generation of engineers to build a system design that could provide assurance to the people at times of natural calamity especially earthquake. Seismic engineers have tried many ways like having multi-layered stone infrastructures that introduced stiffness and rigidity that could resist frail earthquake movements, but then having those strongly built firm stone constructions would not be enough since it cannot withhold forceful and high level of magnitude and intensity of this catastrophic event. Seismic base isolation refers to the systematic way of reducing interaction between the ground and the structure. Base isolation system is the most known mean of protecting infrastructures from the seismic …show more content…
Although it is the commonly known and used all over the world, it is not completely suitable for all kinds of factors. According to one factor that immensely matters to the adaption of the system is the type of buildings. Seismic base isolation increases the vibration period of the structure which consequently decreases the strength of the earthquake, thus, making the structure flexible and earthquake resistant. Base isolation is to be slightly beneficial if the natural period of the building is relatively long but much less when the natural period is too short. Accordingly, these systems are applied to low-rise buildings with less frequency period in order to magnify the benefits and effects of the system. The most suitable buildings for seismic base isolation are the low to mid-rise buildings rested on hard soil. On the other hand, there are different base isolation systems that were fabricated in order to accommodate high-rise buildings thus the effects and benefits to be dispensed would be significant to that of the low to mid-rise buildings. According to MMEIR’s study that was presented by Rappler (2015), the buildings along the West valley fault line which will be affected by the coming quake, would incur given the statistics that 27% of mid-rise building would be partly damaged while 11% would be heavily damaged and 12% of high-rise buildings would be partly damaged while 2% would be heavily damaged. Considering Santa Rosa as a first class city in the province of Laguna and also known as the “Investment Capital of South Luzon“ initially occupied with establishments, company buildings, schools, universities, and different infrastructures, a big portion of the percentage presented by the statistical study would go to Santa Rosa, Laguna wherein the role of seismic base isolation would be in much relevance for the protection of the growing urbanization of this city.