A construction method in which the foundation beams are low in stiffness or omitted is partly applied to base-isolated structures supported by piles. In the method, the laminated rubber bearings are subjected to large lateral displacement and end rotation during earthquakes, and this sort of deformation is thought to greatly affect the mechanical characteristics of the laminated rubber bearings. This paper describes widely applicable conclusions concerning the mechanical characteristics of the laminated rubber bearings applied to the above-mentioned construction method. Theoretical formulas for the horizontal stiffness, end rotation and buckling load of a laminated rubber bearing considering the flexibility of a pile foundation are derived using a model of a laminated rubber bearing-pile-soil-foundation beam system on a uniform soil ground. The model representing the laminated rubber bearing is based on the theory developed by Haringx, and expanded considering the end rotation of the laminated rubber bearing. The effects of the pile and soil characteristics on the mechanical characteristics of laminated rubber bearings have been analyzed numerically.
