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Abstract

A fiber reinforced elastomeric seismic isolation bearing and method protects structures and their contents from the damaging effects of earthquakes. The bearing is a block of a specially designed composite material consisting of an elastomer matrix in which are embedded, through its depth, high stiffness pretensioned fibers extending in various horizontal directions. This produces a device which has a very low horizontal stiffness compared to its vertical stiffness. The isolator is mounted between, and connected to, the structure it supports and the foundation upon which it bears. Because of its low horizontal stiffness the bearing decouples the structure which it supports from the damaging horizontal components of the ground motion associated with an earthquake while the benign vertical motion is transmitted into the structure almost unchanged. Thus, during an earthquake, the structure, which typically will rest on several supporting isolators, and its contents experience small acceleration, velocity and deformation. The isolation bearing and method includes the use of elastomeric laminae with parallel pretensioned fibers, forming a series of cells which are vulcanized into an adherent connection and positioned to be connected between a structure and a structure foundation.

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First Claim