Airsprings are rubber or fabric actuators that support and contain a column of compressed air. They are used as pneumatic actuators and vibration isolators. Airsprings are considerably more flexible than other types of isolators. The airspring's inflation pressure can be changed to compensate for different loads or heights without compromising isolation efficiency. Static analyses are performed in ABAQUS/Standard. A three-dimensional, half-symmetry model that uses finite-strain shell elements is used to model the rubber spring; three-dimensional, hydrostatic fluid elements is used to model the air-filled cavity; and rebar to model the multi-ply steel reinforcements in the rubber membrane. In addition, a three-dimensional, element-based rigid surface is used to define the contact between the airspring and the lateral metal bead. The cord-reinforced rubber membrane is modeled using a hyperelastic material model with steel rebar. In all analyses the air inside the airspring cavity has been modeled as a compressible or “pneumatic” fluid satisfying the ideal gas law.
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