The behavior of multilayer elastomeric isolators employing carbon fibers as reinforcement material
rather than steel has been considered. This kind of reinforcement is used to make the isolators lighter
and cheaper, since carbon fibers (or Kevlar) are much more resistant per unit weight than steel. From
the mechanical point of view, the main difference is that the fiber reinforcement cannot be considered
rigid in extension as it is usually done for steel plates. In this paper an analytical model to analyze the
compression and bending behavior of fiber-reinforced rectangular isolators is presented. The model takes
into account, for the first time, both the reinforcement extensibility and the compressibility of the elastomer.
An analytical solution to predict deformations, stresses and stiffness is here determined in terms
of Fourier series, both for compression and bending.
