Seismic protection of modular buildings with bonded rubber unit sliders: Experimental study

摘要

This paper presents the results of experimental tests on a proprietary full scale single bonded rubber unit (BRU) and a proprietary full-scale slider device with frictionless sliding surfaces. From the BRU tests, it was found that the BRU can undergo large deformations and self-recover completely upon unloading; the self-recovery process needs a certain amount of time to complete. When the rate of unloading was faster than the rate of self-recovery, there was a temporary residual displacement in the rubber, which disappeared with time as the rubber self-recovered. As a result, the BRU could be reused many times with negligible effect on the stiffness and hysteresis characteristics. The numerical models were then developed and validated against the unconfined test results of BRU specimens. Finally, a set of polynomial equations were developed based on the confined test results to predict the stiffness and load-deflection characteristics of the BRU specimens.