11/19/2018 How to Calculate the Torsional Stiffness of Rubber Shock Mounts

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11/19/2018 How to Calculate the Torsional Stiffness of Rubber Shock Mounts

LEARNING RESOURCES > BASICS OF DESIGN

How to Calculate the Torsional Stiffness of Rubber Shock Mounts

Stephen Mraz | Mar 30, 2015

Rubber shock mounts, those simple annularly shaped discs, can cushion shocks
and vibrations in the radial and axial directions. Sometimes, however, engineers
need to use them to isolate torsional shocks as well. Unfortunately, manufacturers
usually only publish the axial and radial spring rates, leaving engineers to guess at
the torsional values.

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11/19/2018 How to Calculate the Torsional Stiffness of Rubber Shock Mounts

Here is a simple equation that relates the torsional spring rate to the radial spring
rate and geometry of the mount.

The radial spring rate for a rubber annular shock mount is:

The modulus of rigidity, G, is:

Therefore:

The torsional spring rate is:

Rearranging the equation for k and substituting in the equation for K yields:

For rubber materials:

Therefore:

This equation gives engineers an accurate estimate of the torsional spring rate of
an annular shock mount, one with a radial depth, h, that is not more than 0.1R.

Nomenclature

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11/19/2018 How to Calculate the Torsional Stiffness of Rubber Shock Mounts

E = Modulus of elasticity, psi

F = Radial force, lb

G = Modulus of rigidity, psi

H = Radial depth, in.

K = Torsional spring rate, lb-in

k = Radial spring rate, lb-in

l = Rubber thickness, in

R = Rubber inner radius, in

T = Torque, lb-in

= Radial Deflection, in

= Torsional deflection, rad

= Poisson’s ratio

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