Experimental investigation of the use of rubber mat sub foundations using transparent soils under dynamic conditions

Earthquakes cause’s problems for all types of structures however there are some measures for protecting large building but not a lot of systems designed for protecting small domestic building. The systems that are around for small domestic buildings are expensive. This paper looks it the use of a recycled rubber tyre chip sandbag mat under the slab foundation as a cheaper and easier way to protect small domestic buildings from earthquakes. The system works by burring a rubber mat made up of sandbag filled with tyre chips. The research was carried out using transparent soil that can be used to track the movement of the particles as it is shaken using a shaking table. Accelerometers where used to track the acceleration in the soil at certain point. This research found that the rubber mat did make a reduction to the acceleration recorded in the sample with a rubber mat to the one without. Also there was a reduction to the acceleration recorded on the foundation.