Earthquake Protection With Regupol INODIS

High performance recycled rubber elastomeric product makes masonry infill walls seismically resistant

The Regupol INODIS system (Innovative Decoupled Infill System) is designed to protect buildings from earthquakes by preventing damage from interstory drifts, which are the horizontal displacements between floors during an earthquake.

Regupol Inodis is primarily made from recycled elastomers, specifically, rubber. It utilizes tire-derived recycled rubber granules as a core component and other recycled elastomers to create high-performance products for various applications, including impact sound insulation, vibration isolation, and seismic resistance. The system also incorporates a sliding surface to facilitate deformation and absorb interstory drifts, which are key factors in seismic design, according to Regupol.

The system achieves this decoupling through a combination of two modules. The horizontal decoupling module consists of thin (15mm) elastomer elements separated by a sliding surface, allowing the building’s structure to move horizontally during an earthquake, absorbing the energy and preventing damage.

The vertical decoupling module uses Inodis elastomeric strips with a thickness tailored to the specific interstory drift demands of the building’s design. This module allows vertical movement and deformation.

In essence, Regupol Inodis acts as a buffer between the ground and the building structure during an earthquake, absorbing seismic forces and distributing the forces to minimize damage, prevent  and enhance safety. By isolating the building structure, the system can simplify seismic design, potentially leading to reduced cost.