Experimental study on impact behaviors of rubber shock absorbers

In the seismic design of continuous girder bridges, rubber shock absorbers set between the girders and between the girders and the abutments could reduce the magnitude of impact behaviors and mitigate the damage incurred by structural collisions effectively. However, in practice, rubber shock absorbers are only considered as a construction measure, and the current research on the impact mechanical properties of rubber shock absorbers is very limited. In this paper, two types of rubber shock absorbers: natural rubber shock absorbers (N-RSA) and high-damping rubber shock absorbers (HD-RSA) were selected for study. Shape factor, volume, and shape (square vs round shapes) were proposed as controlling variables for the design of multiple sets of rubber shock absorbers. We also studied the impact of various factors on the force-displacement of rubber shock absorbers under the application of static loading. Using self-designed pendulum impact equipment, this research investigated the impact of pendulum impact velocity, the shape factor, volume, and shape of the rubber shock absorber on the force-displacement of the shock absorber. The results of this work may provide reference for the establishment of a nonlinear impacting mechanical model of a rubber shock absorber and the seismic design and analysis of bridge structure.