The Effectiveness of Rubber Bumpers in Reducing the Effects of Earthquake-Induced Pounding between Base-Isolated Buildings  
[PERSON]  
1 Center of Semnan Municipality, University of Applied Science and Technology, Semnan 13114-16846, Iran; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (S.M.K. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (A.S.)1 Center of Semnan Municipality, University of Applied Science and Technology, Semnan 13114-16846, Iran; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (S.M.K. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (A.S.)1 Center of Civil Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan 35131-19111, Iran; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
[PERSON]  
2 Faculty of Civil Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan 35131-19111, Iran; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
[PERSON]  
3 Seismic Geotechnical and High Performance Concrete Research Centre, Civil Engineering Department, Semnan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Semnan 61349-37333, Iran; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
[PERSON]  
1 Center of Semnan Municipality, University of Applied Science and Technology, Semnan 13114-16846, Iran; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (S.M.K. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (A.S.)1 Center of Civil Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan 35131-19111, Iran; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
[PERSON]  
4 Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, 80-283 Gdansk, Poland; jankowr@pg.edu.pl4 Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, 80-283 Gdansk, Poland; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]. during earthquakes. However, from the engineering point of view, these methods can be difficult to be implemented in practice. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [17] and [PERSON] and [PERSON] [18] considered the effectiveness of concrete shear walls for increasing the stiffness of the structures, thereby minimizing the gap size between adjacent buildings. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [19] and [PERSON] and [PERSON] [20] studied different types of links between neighboring buildings by using spring and dashpot elements in order to improve the structural dynamic behavior. Connections between adjacent structures with the use of stiff additional beams were also considered by [PERSON] [21]. He used a special link element that was able to dissipate energy and prevent collisions during ground motions. [PERSON] et al. [22] eliminated bounding effects by applying viscoelastic dampers installed between two adjacent buildings. Another work in which the application of viscoelastic dampers was analyzed was performed by [PERSON] et al. [23]. The effect of rubber bumpers was also studied by [PERSON] et al. [24], [PERSON] et al. [25] and [PERSON] [26]. [PERSON] et al. [27] used polymer elements to reduce negative bounding effects during earthquakes. [PERSON] [28], [PERSON] and [PERSON] [29], and [PERSON] [30,31] investigated the nonlinear behavior of structures with the aim of decreasing lateral structural displacements using passive dampers. On the other hand, the application of base isolation systems, which are considered to be a very effective seismic protection method (see, for example, [PERSON] [32] and [PERSON] et al. [33,34]), results in elongation of the natural period of the building and an increase in subsequent structural displacements during earthquakes, thus increasing the probability of structural bounding. Therefore, [PERSON] et al. [35] and [PERSON] et al. [36] investigated methods for reducing the lateral displacement of isolated buildings using tuned mass dampers. The aim of the present paper is to verify the effectiveness of the application of rubber bumpers in reducing the negative effects of earthquake-induced bounding between base-isolated buildings. To meet this challenge, two three-story structures with different configurations (one isolated and one non-isolated) were considered, and their dynamic response under seismic excitation was determined. In further considerations, one of the buildings was equipped with four bumpers that were square in shape, applied at the base level of each side of the model. Then, the dynamic response of the two three-story models of buildings was determined under four different seismic excitations.