Rubber is an elastic material characterised by its ability to deform under tension or compression and then return to its original shape. This property makes rubber particularly effective for shock absorption, vibration reduction and impact sound insulation. In products made from polyurethane (PU) bonded rubber granules, the damping behaviour is further influenced by the elastic binder and the structure and density of the sheets.
A scale of 1 to 5 is used to rate the elastic, shock-absorbing and vibration-damping properties of a rubber product. A value of 1 represents slight but noticeable damping, while a value of 5 indicates exceptionally high damping performance. This classification is based on empirical studies and comparative measurements.
The elasticity of rubber and its importance
Rubber is made up of long, elastic molecular chains that temporarily adopt an ordered structure under mechanical stress. When the stress is removed, they return to their original disordered form, giving the material its high resilience. This elasticity enables efficient shock and vibration absorption.
Shock absorption - absorbing kinetic energy
Rubber can absorb kinetic energy through deformation and convert it into heat. On impact, the material deforms, reducing the forces acting on it. The damping effect is not linear, but increases with greater deformation. This means that rubber provides moderate damping at low loads, which increases significantly at high loads.
Vibration damping - reducing unwanted vibration
Rubber has viscoelastic properties, which means it has both elastic and viscous damping characteristics. Elastic damping occurs when vibrational energy is converted to heat by internal restoring forces, while viscous damping absorbs kinetic energy by internal friction. This makes rubber particularly effective in reducing vibration and shock.
Impact sound insulation - minimising footfall and impact sound
Impact sound insulation refers to measures taken to reduce the noise generated by walking or moving objects on a surface. Because of its elastic structure, rubber can effectively absorb and minimise these sounds. In addition, the material is wear resistant, ensuring that its sound-absorbing properties remain effective over a long period of time.
To determine the suitability of a WARCO product for a specific application, we recommend an individual assessment based on an on-site material sample.