Elastic Sliding Bearing for Seismic Isolation

An elastic sliding bearing is a type of ball-bearing device. The bearing is made of plastic or other elastomeric material. The plastic disk has a high sliding coefficient and is loosely inserted between the axial bearing surface and the flange projection. The bearing has friction-increasing profiles and can be provided with penetrating recesses.

The elastic sliding bearing model is an analytical model of the dynamics of elastic slide bearings. It describes force-displacement relationships for continuous vertical and bidirectional horizontal loading. This model is useful in predicting the performance of sliding bearings in seismic applications. In addition, it can be applied to other seismic tests. However, it is limited to bearings that were calibrated using the same device. Thus, the residual error is not a significant contributor to the variance in the parameter estimates.

The elastomeric sliding bearing is characterized by a disk that transmits axial forces from the outer cylinder assembly to the inner cylinder. Its axial sliding surface is made of a plastic material, such as PTFE. It is also available in a PTFE-coated version. Once installed, the bearing will last a long time. In the meantime, it can be used in applications requiring axial motion.

The lead rubber bearing is a high-damping type of elastomeric bearing and belongs to the seismic isolation category. It consists of multiple layers of elastomeric material and a central lead core. The shore hardness of the lead increases from 45 to 55, which is an excellent damping property. The steel plate in the bearing constrains the rotation performance of the lead rubber bearing. Further, the lead rubber bearing is corrosion-resistant and aging resistant.

Full-film lubrication occurs at higher relative velocities. The motion of the surfaces generates high pressures in the lubricant, which separates the two components. In addition, the journal can 'ride' on the fluid wedge. A mixed film lubrication occurs when the relative motion between two surfaces is sufficient. The lubricant film pressure can partially separate the surfaces for long periods.