Interstory isolation systems have recently gained popularity as an alternative for seismic protection, especially in densely populated areas. In inter-story isolation, the isolation system is incorporated between stories instead of the base of the structure. Installing inter-story isolation is simple, inexpensive, and disruption free in retrofit applications. Benefits include nominally independent structural systems where the accelerations of the added floors are reduced when compared to a conventional structural system. Furthermore, the base shear demand on the total structure is not significantly increased. Practical applications of inter-story isolation have appeared in the United States, Japan, and China, and likewise new design validation techniques are needed to parallel growing interest. Real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) offers an alternative to investigate the performance of buildings with inter-story isolation. Shake tables, standard equipment in many laboratories, are capable of providing the interface boundary conditions necessary for this application of RTHS. The substructure below the isolation layer can be simulated numerically while the superstructure above the isolation layer can be tested experimentally. This configuration provides a high-fidelity representation of the nonlinearities in the isolation layer, including any supplemental damping devices. This research investigates the seismic performance of a 14-story building with inter-story isolation. A model-based acceleration-tracking approach is adopted to control the shake table, exhibiting good offline and online acceleration tracking performance. The proposed methods demonstrate that RTHS is an accurate and reliable means to investigate buildings with inter-story isolation, including new configurations and supplemental control approaches.

Quartz deposits are widely dispersed in nature, but the presence of ore bodies capable of yielding high-purity quartz is exceedingly rare. As a result, the effective purification and processing of high-purity quartz from natural siliceous materials has emerged as a prominent area of research within the non-metallic mineral processing field. This article offers an overview of the current state of research and its limitations in quartz purification and processing technology in China, including the characteristics of quartz mineral resources, the geological origins of ore deposits, impurity forms in ores, and purification techniques. Drawing from examples of five distinct types of quartz ores—vein quartz, powder quartz, quartzite, granitic pegmatite, and pegmatitic granite—we delve into the inherent properties of quartz deposits, ores, and minerals from a mineralogical perspective, establishing their link to purification and processing methodologies. A fundamental challenge restraining the advancement of the high-purity quartz industry is the absence of criteria for evaluating and selecting high-purity quartz raw materials. Existing purification technologies grapple with issues such as intricate single mineral liberation, substantial acid consumption, high energy requirements, and protracted processing procedures. The lack of mineralogically based deep purification techniques presents a hurdle to the development of the high-purity quartz industry. Given the diversity of ore types, the pursuit of knowledge-driven design and the development of economically efficient, environmentally friendly, and streamlined new technologies for tackling the complexities of the purification process may constitute the future direction of our endeavors.

In this paper, the mechanism of enhanced membrane separation by ultrasound is analyzed. The main factors affecting the separation of enhanced membrane by ultrasonic technology is studied, the application and research progress of ultrasonic technology in membrane separation are studied. The conclusion are (a) cavitation caused by ultrasonic radiation is the main factor that increases the permeation flux of dextran solution (b) higher intensity of sound is helpful to the cleaning of the film; (c) ultrasound enhancement is related to temperature and operating pressure; (d) the film assembly shell material also affect the ultrasonic effect. In addition, the influence of ultrasonic wave on membrane structure is also discussed. Result indicates that the membrane separation process under the action of ultrasound does improve its permeability, but sometimes ultrasound can also cause damage to the membrane. Application of ultrasonic techniques for enhancing the separation process of membrane is also reviewed.