S.D. Campbell/Kinetics Noise Control
CONCLUSION
Vibration isolation of all or part of buildings is becoming increasingly common. One option for the isolation design is laminated elastomeric pads. The development of such a pad, using a carbon fiber mesh rather than steel plates as reinforcement, was described in this paper. The theoretical basis for determining the deformations and pressure distribution in the pad, including accounting for the flexibility of the reinforcement, was presented. Also discussed are the results from an extensive testing program that investigated the static and dynamic stiffness, creep, and debonding potential of the laminated bearings. Finally, sample designs of both the new pad and a standard pad were presented for a realistic problem.
The new pad offers several advantages over the traditional steel-reinforced design. Since the carbon mesh and elastomer form both chemical and mechanical bonds, no processing is required prior to vulcanization of the laminate, and much thinner (approximately 0.8 mm or less) layers of reinforcing can be used. Pads designed for the same natural frequency are thinner and lighter than if steel-reinforced, due to both the reduced thickness of the reinforcing and the inherently lighter weight of the carbon. In addition, the pads are non-corrosive in most environments suitable for natural rubber or neoprene and are non-magnetic. Finally, the pads are easily cut after manufacture, unlike steel-reinforced bearings, allowing for last-minute adjustments of size and faster delivery times.
Testing has shown that the bearings provide performance similar to conventionally reinforced pads and that their operation meets current specifications. Additionally, an analytical solution for the pad behavior accurately predicts the measured response. In conclusion, the new carbon fiber meshreinforced isolation pads do everything the standard pads do, but have many additional advantages.