Design of an Earthquake Simulator Based on a Cable-Driven Parallel Robot

Due to the fact that earthquakes cannot be predicted, earthquake simulation is of great importance. An earthquake simulator is a device that reproduces the seismic waves generated by an earthquake. The aim of this work is to present the design and prototyping of an earthquake simulator that simulates a real long-period ground motion earthquake with vertical displacement, according to the earthquake seismogram. A control interface was designed for a prototype earthquake simulator to reproduce a given earthquake seismogram. The mobile platform of the earthquake simulator prototype performs translational motions in the direction of the X and Y axes due to the use of a cable-driven parallel robot, and the vertical translational motion of the platform along the Z axis is performed by linear screw drives. A prototype earthquake simulator was manufactured and tested, confirming the feasibility of reproducing long-period ground motion during an earthquake. The earthquake simulator implements motions that make a person experience sensations similar to those that occur during real earthquakes.