Material-Driven Design of Friction-Minimized Coned Disc Springs Using Anisotropic Magnetic Elastomers

The structural design of conventional coned disc spring (CDS) isolators is inherently constrained by asymmetric hysteresis and excessive frictional damping. To overcome these limitations, this study proposes a material-driven design strategy utilizing anisotropic magnetic rubber (MR) interlayers to develop a novel, high-performance vertical isolation device. Leveraging the double-sided adhesion of the MR sheets, the interfacial contact mechanics are fundamentally altered. This functional material integration effectively suppresses inter-disc slippage, minimizes parasitic friction, and enhances structural alignment under cyclic dynamic loading. This hybrid material-structural design was evaluated through material characterization, cyclic component testing, three-dimensional finite element (FE) contact analysis, and modified Bouc-Wen phenomenological modeling. Planar tensile characterization of the MR material revealed a three-stage elastomeric response, optimally captured for predictive numerical design by a second-order Ogden hyperelastic formulation. Cyclic testing validated the proposed architecture, demonstrating that the MR-enhanced configuration reduces unloading stiffness and frictional energy dissipation, thereby yielding symmetric hysteresis and superior self-centering capacity compared to traditional CDS designs. Both the FE framework and the analytical model reproduced the nonlinear kinematics and energy dissipation characteristics across varying operational parameters. Thus, the integration of MR interlayers provides a mechanically stable, repeatable design solution for advanced vertical vibration isolation and seismic mitigation systems.