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Nominal Size
B x B x H *
(In. x In. x In.)
No. of
Rubber
Layers
Thickness
of Rubber
Layers
(Inch)
Thickness
of Steel
Shim
(Inch)
Shape
Factor
101,102,103
201,202,203
301,302,303
401
501
601
5 x 5 x 4.375
5 x 5 x 4.375
5 x 5 x 4.385
10 x 10 x 4.375
10 x 10 x 4.375
10 x 10 x 4.385
3
4
8
3
4
8
0.75
0.50
0.25
0.75
0.50
0.25
0.0625
0.1250
0.0550
0.0625
0.1250
0.0550
1.67
2.50
5.00
3.33
5.00
10.00
The axial load - horizontal displacement, P-u, variation is shown in Fig. 1 as a function of
shear force for bearing 302. The equilibrium path, a smooth curve passing through discrete
points, shown in Fig. 1 at each shear force level, passes through a limit point, which is the critical
load. In Fig. 1 the equilibrium paths are unstable past the limit point (Nagarajaiah et al. 1999);
hence, the critical load must decrease with increasing horizontal displacement. The critical load,
Pcr , obtained from Fig. 1 and normalized with respect to critical load at zero displacement, is
shown in Fig. 2, as a function of horizontal displacement normalized with respect to the width of
the bearing, B. In Fig. 2(a) it is evident that significant reduction in Pcr occurs at horizontal
displacements equal to the width of the bearing, B. The results from the nonlinear analytical
model developed by Nagarajaiah et al. (1999) are also shown in Figs. 2(a) and 2(b) for the 300
and 500 series bearings. The critical load variation for bearing series 500, shown in Fig. 2(b),
decreases with increasing horizontal displacement; however, the decrease in Pcr is not as
significant as in bearing 302.
100
80
F = 0.5
60
F = 1.0
F = 1.5
F = 2.0
F = 2.5
F = 3.0
20 F = 3.5
40
0
0
2
3
4
5
Horizontal Displacement: u (in)
page 2
The stability of the elastomeric bearings is studied, using the ADINA finite element
program. The Mooney-Rivlin material model suited for rubber undergoing large strains was
adopted. The stability of the bearings was determined by the following procedure involving
equilibrium paths (Nagarajaiah et al. 1999). The bearings were first deformed in shear to a
predetermined shear displacement by means of a constant shear force. Then additional shear
displacements were monitored as the axial load, in the form of vertical pressure at the top surface
of the bearing, was monotonically increased up to the limit point of the equilibrium path. The
equilibrium path past the limit point could not be traced as the incremental solution failed. The
critical load is the axial load at the limit point of each equilibrium path (Nagarajaiah et al. 1999).
This procedure was repeated for increasing values of initial shear displacement; the
corresponding critical load horizontal displacement values were obtained.
500 Series Bearings
o
..
*
Experimental
Analytical
Approximate
ADINA
0.4
0.2
0
0
0.5
1
Horizontal Displacement: u/B
2 (a)
1
Critical Load: Pcr/Pcro
0.8
0.6
- Analytical
.. Approximate
o ADINA
0.4
0.2
0
0
0.5
1
Horizontal Displacement: u/B
2 (b)
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Conclusions
A substantial reserve of axial load capacity exists in elastomeric bearings even when
displaced in shear to a distance equal to the width of the bearing. This capacity may be
demonstrated experimentally and theoretically using a new analytical model, which captures the
complex nonlinearities that occur in elastomeric bearings at high shear strain.
Acknowledgements
This project was funded under Federal Highway Administration Contract Number
DTFH61-92-C-00106, which, in part, is studying the use of earthquake protective systems for the
seismic retrofitting of highway bridges.
References
AASHTO (1999) Guide specifications for seismic isolation design, American Association of
State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington DC, 76 pp.
Buckle, I.G. and Kelly, J.M., (1986). Properties of Slender Elastomeric Isolation Bearings
During Shake Table Studies of a Large-Scale Model Bridge Deck, Joint Sealing and Bearing
Systems for Concrete Structures (ACI), Vol. 1, 247-269.
Buckle, I.G. and Liu, H., (1994). Experimental Determination of Critical Loads of Elastomeric
Isolators at High Shear Strain, NCEER Bulletin, Vol. 8, No 3, 1-5.
Buckle, I. G., Nagarajaiah, S., and Ferrell, K. (2002). "Stability of elastomeric isolation bearings:
Experimental study," Journal of Structural Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 128, No. 1.
Koh, C.G. and Kelly, J.M. (1986). Effects of Axial load on Elastomeric Bearings, UCB/EERC
- 86/12, Earthquake Engineering Research Center, University of California, Berkeley.
Nagarajaiah, S., and Ferrell, K. (1999). Stability of elastomeric seismic isolation bearings,
Journal of Structural Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 125, No 9, 946-954.
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