Comparative Mechanical Behavior Low-Cost Flax Fiber Reinforced Elastomeric Isolator (FREI) with Shape Variation

Indonesia is a country that has a high potential for earthquakes. Many have highlighted that even though earthquakes are a global phenomenon, their impact on deaths is disproportionate, with the majority of fatalities happening in single-and double-story residential buildings. Indonesians need a sturdy building structure that can resist earthquake effects in light of these circumstances, especially those constructed for public housing. One of the most well-liked methods for protecting residential buildings from the effects of progressively stronger earthquakes uses a base isolation system. However, the cost of existing base isolation systems for residential buildings is relatively high. Therefore, this research focuses on fiber-reinforced elastomeric insulators (FREI) with economical fabrication and residential applicability. The flax fiber utilized in this isolator takes the place of the typical steel shim found in the majority of base isolators. This base isolator is analyzed by a finite element approach using the ABAQUS software to ascertain its mechanical behavior. In contrast, the base isolator's mechanical properties include damping, vertical stiffness, and effective horizontal stiffness. It also discussed how the performance of fiber-reinforced elastomeric isolators (FREI) differs depending on shape variation. The outcomes of this study include the impact of form alterations on the analyses of horizontal stiffness, vertical stiffness, damping, and effective horizontal stiffness in fiber-reinforced elastomeric isolators (FREI).