Mechanical and Vibrational Characterization of Reinforced Composite Rubber/Calcium Carbonate for Compressive Optical Sensor Housing.

A weigh-in-motion (WIM) sensor is a versatile unit that dynamically monitors the vehicle load, which is suitable for high-mobility traffic. However, the dynamic measurement requires sufficient physical property for the sensor housing in order to maintain the effective reading process and response time. The present work assesses the potential of reinforced silicone rubber as a compressive sensor housing. The reinforcement uses calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) and spring wire. The tensile strength of the composite rubber increases up to 56.5% by adding 15 wt% CaCO₃. The maximum deflection of the composite is obtained at 12.92 mm at a load of 160 kg, which is higher compared to the rubber (maximum load of 70 kg). The spring within the composite maintains sufficient deflection profile around 180-220 kg, indicating a better mechanical strength. The response time for reinforced composite rubber is less than 200 ms (milliseconds), demonstrating a notable reading performance. Moreover, surface observation through scanning electron microscope (SEM) implies suitable material conformity between rubber and CaCO₃, making the proposed method can be taken as a convenient manufacturing method for producing compressive sensor housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]