Bidirectional shaking-table tests of unbonded recycled-rubber fiber-reinforced bearings (RR-FRBs)

This paper describes the results of bidirectional shaking-table tests performed on novel, low-cost, and eco-friendly recycled-rubber fiber-reinforced bearings (RR-FRBs). The research aims to demonstrate the adequacy of square bearings made of recycled rubber when it comes to performing a base isolators in low-rise residential buildings in developing regions of the world. The results of shear tests on RR-FRBs are described in this paper as well as the response of a base-isolated prototype building under bidirectional ground-motion excitation. Compared with the results of a fixed-base structure, the peak drift ratio, peak base shear, and peak acceleration on the different floors are significantly reduced for the base-isolation system of the RR-FRBs. The results of this work confirm the option of adopting RR-FRBs as base isolators in real structures, with the stability of the devices under major bidirectional excitation requiring further investigation.