Technology
Sumitomo Rubber's vibration control technology
Characteristic values and various types of dependence
Sumitomo Rubber's high damping rubber exhibits very high stiffness even under small deformations and provides significant damping regardless of the amount of deformation.
It also exhibits low temperature dependence, delivering stable performance against environmental changes.
Various characteristics have been verified through experimental testing.
*Excerpted from the performance certificate obtained in 2012 from the General Building Research Corporation of Japan (GBRC).
*Excerpted from the performance certificate obtained in 2012 from the General Building Research Corporation of Japan (GBRC).
*Excerpted from the performance certificate obtained in 2012 from the General Building Research Corporation of Japan (GBRC).
*Excerpted from the performance certificate obtained in 2012 from the General Building Research Corporation of Japan (GBRC).
Appropriately incorporate the properties of the high-damping rubber into the design
The experimentally verified properties of high-damping rubber are reflected in the analysis model.
Sumitomo Rubber conducts both full-scale and scaled-down tests to verify various characteristics of its dampers. Using analytical models that reflect these verified properties, it is possible to simulate the performance of dampers in actual structures.
Toward the realization of safe and secure buildings with vibration control technology
Sumitomo Rubber conducted joint research with the Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering at the Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University from 2005 to 2023. Through this collaboration, the following findings regarding Sumitomo Rubber's high-damping rubber have been clarified.
- The hysteretic behavior of the damper can be modeled as a combination of multiple components such as elasto-plastic element, elastic elements, and viscous elements.
- For small deformations, the damping effect and high initial stiffness provide restoring forces that reduce the structural response.
- Additionally, due to the structural characteristics of Sumitomo Rubber's building dampers—rigidly connected to the main structural frame—there is no mechanical gap.
As a result of these features, the dampers are capable of absorbing energy effectively across a wide range of deformations, from micro-vibrations to large-scale motion.
Sumitomo Rubber's building dampers have been shown to effectively reduce both acceleration responses—related to occupant comfort—and displacement responses—related to structural safety—across a wide range of vibrations. These include minor wind-induced disturbances that occur continuously, as well as rare but severe seismic events.
These performance characteristics are supported by both experimental studies—such as dynamic loading tests under extremely small and large deformations—and theoretical studies, including equivalent linear analysis.
Modeling
Our product’s hysteretic characteristics have been represented through high-precision modeling. Its effectiveness when installed in buildings can be evaluated using general-purpose dynamic analysis software.
Test image
Verify product performance through vibration testing
The analytical model of Sumitomo Rubber's building dampers is implemented
in general-purpose dynamic analysis software, including:
*The model is incorporated into general dynamic analysis software such as SNAP (KOZO SYSTEM, INC.), SS21/dynamic PRO, 3D dynamic (UNION SYSTEM Inc.), MIDAS iGen (MIDAS IT), RESP-D/F3T (KOZO KEIKAKU ENGINEERING Inc.), ETABS, and SAP2000 (COMPUTERS & STRUCTURES, INC.).