Influence of rubber ageing on damping capacity of rubber vibration absorber

The vibration dampers, shock absorbers, seismic isolation, bearing seals, compensation devices are widely applied in civil engineering, machine manufacturing and shipbuilding, aviation and aerospace engineering. For these details fabrication elastomeric materials are used. Rubber and rubber-like materials (elastomers) have the capability of absorbing input energy much better than other engineering materials. Elastomeric materials give many engineering advantages due to their high elasticity, good dynamic properties, low volume compressibility, a linear relationship between stress and strain at small and middle deformation, resistance to aggressive environmental factors. The disadvantage of elastomeric materials is ageing, i.e. changing their mechanical properties over time and lowering their operational capability. In given paper the influence of ageing of elastomeric materials on the damping properties of shock absorbers is considered based on the mechanical models of elastomers - Maxwell and Burgers modes.