Mechanical testing of high-damping elastomer materials for determining design parameters of seismic isolation bearings

High-damping steel-laminated elastomeric bearings are one of the devices used for isolating large buildings and structures from earthquake damage. These load-bearing isolators are constructed from alternating layers of high-damping rubber and steel plates. In this paper the mechanical testing of small specimens of some elastomer compounds proposed for the isolation of advanced nuclear reactors is discussed. Variation of shear stiffness and damping with respect to shear strain level (5 % to 300 %), temperature ({minus}40{degrees}C to +50{degrees}C) and frequency (0.002Hz to 5Hz) are reported. Problems involved in obtaining reliable and repeatable results are also discussed.