The proposed paper shows the real possibility of application of new elastomeric seismic isolators manufactured superimposing recycled rubber layers and carbon/glass fibre sheets as reinforcement. The advantage of the proposed isolators is the reduction of both costs and weight characterizing the traditional steel-laminated rubber isolators.

Prototypes of new square seismic bearings were designed and manufactured with different type and number of reinforcement layers, and an experimental investigation has been programmed and already partially performed. The mechanical behaviour, in service and ultimate conditions, of the prototype low-cost innovative isolators has been determined through compression and shear tests carried out at the Laboratories of the Dep. of Structural Engineering and the Dep. of Mechanical Engineering for Energetics of the Univ. of Napoli Federico II. The results of the experimental campaign allow the comparison of the stiffness and damping characteristics of the innovative seismic bearings to the well-known properties of the traditional elastomeric isolators. This comparison gives to the authors the possibility to deduce some important considerations about the applicability and reliability of the prototype isolators.

Finally, a simple case study of isolated structural building model is used to show how to practically apply and dimension the innovative isolators, taking into account the conclusions drawn after the experimental tests.