Correcting for the Influence of Bulk Compressibility on the Design Properties of Elastomeric Bearings
Publication: Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Volume 141, Issue 6
Abstract
The compression and bending modulus of elastomeric bearings, commonly applied as vibration isolators, are important design considerations. Analytical solutions have demonstrated that the sensitivity to the compressibility of the elastomer can be significant and begins at relatively low shape factors. These analytical solutions, which include the effects of compressibility on the compression and bending modulus, are often complex and not suitable for design purposes. Alternatively, an ad hoc approximation has been recommended that expresses the compression and bending modulus, including the compressibility of the elastomer, by assuming incompressibility and correcting with the bulk modulus. It is demonstrated that the ad hoc approximation provides an unconservatively large value of the compression and bending modulus for infinite strip, square, circular, and annular pad geometries. A correction factor to the ad hoc approximation is determined by expanding and simplifying the analytical solutions. The proposed approximations typically reduce the magnitude of the error while also providing a conservatively lower estimate of the compression and bending modulus.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship is gratefully acknowledged.
References
Burns, J., Dubbelday, P. S., and Ting, R. Y. (1990). “Dynamic bulk modulus of various elastomers.” J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys., 28(7), 1187–1205.
Chalhoub, M. S., and Kelly, J. M. (1990). “Effect of bulk compressibility on the stiffness of cylindrical base isolation bearings.” Int. J. Solids Struct., 26(7), 743–760.
Chalhoub, M. S., and Kelly, J. M. (1991). “Analysis of infinite-strip-shaped base isolator with elastomer bulk compression.” J. Eng. Mech., 1791–1805.
Constantinou, M. C., Kartoum, A., and Kelly, J. M. (1992). “Analysis of compression of hollow circular elastomeric bearings.” Eng. Struct., 14(2), 103–111.
Fuller, K. N. G., Gregory, M. J., Harris, J. A., Muhr, A. H., Roberts, A. D., and Stevenson, A. (1988). “Engineering use of natural rubber.” Natural rubber science and technology, A. D. Roberts, ed., Oxford University Press, New York.
Gent, A. N., and Lindley, P. B. (1959). “The compression of bonded rubber blocks.” Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng., 173(1), 111–122.
ISO. (2010). “Elastomeric seismic-protection isolators.” ISO 22762, Geneva.
Kelly, J. M. (1997). Earthquake-resistant design with rubber, Springer, London.
Kelly, J. M., and Konstantinidis, D. (2011). Mechanics of rubber bearings for seismic and vibration isolation, Wiley, Chichester, U.K.
Lindley, P. D. (1978). Engineering design with natural rubber, Malaysian Rubber Producers’ Research Association, Hertford, U.K.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 29, 2014
Accepted: Oct 6, 2014
Published online: Nov 5, 2014
Published in print: Jun 1, 2015
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.