How to Evaluate Raw Rubber for Port Rubber Fenders?

Product Fundamentals

Rubber fenders absorb vessel berthing energy while limiting reaction force, protecting both vessels and wharf structures. NR offers advantages in large deflection, tear and fatigue resistance, and is often blended with SBR; the selection among CV60, 3L or TSR20 depends on formulation, processing and cost.

Validation Requirements

Energy absorption equals the integral of reaction force over displacement, i.e., the area under the reaction-deflection curve. PIANC MarCom WG211 (2024) provides guidelines for the design, manufacture and testing of port rubber fender systems.

Raw rubber qualification does not equate to whole-product qualification. Any change in raw material source or factory must be verified through a whole-product compression test to confirm the reaction force and energy absorption curves; this is a typical Level P (full product) requirement in the 'four-level validation' system.