Partially Bonded Fiber Reinforced Elastomeric Isolators

Abstract eng:
Originally presented as a low-cost alternative, Fiber-Reinforced Elastomeric Isolators (FREIs) have been shown to achieve similar performance as conventional steel-reinforced elastomeric isolator designs. A component of the cost reduction centred on positioning the isolator unbonded between the upper and lower supports, eliminating the need for large steel end plates and bonding procedures. Unbonded FREIs exhibit a unique deformed shape, known as rollover. Rollover is associated with a reduction in the effective lateral stiffness (lateral softening) as the isolator is displaced; an advantageous feature to increase the efficiency of the isolation system that also allows for adaptive design. Although the unbonded application is a necessity for rollover to occur, it is also attributed to perceived limitations. Notably, unbonded FREIs rely solely on friction to transfer the lateral force, which may allow slip in certain loading conditions, and does not allow for the transfer of vertical tensile forces. It has been proposed that these concerns can be alleviated by partially bonding the isolator to the supports, thereby forming a hybrid between an unbonded isolator and a conventional fully bonded isolator. This concept, known as Partially Bonded Fiber-Reinforced Elastomeric Isolators (PB-FREIs), merges the beneficial characteristics of both types of isolators to prevent slip, transfers a vertical tensile force, and retains the desirable lateral softening due to rollover. The concept of PB-FREIs is discussed and new experimental and numerical findings are presented to bring further depth to the concept.

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