Material characterization and constitutive modelling of elastomers subject to strain rate

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Service life prediction and warranty consideration are two important parameters in the design of vital elastomeric engineering products for the automotive, aerospace, and medical sectors. The performance of rubber components under different loading and environmental conditions is dictated by the elastomer's behaviour under these conditions. The highly nonlinear behaviour of rubber is caused by its underlying molecular structure, which consists of coiled long-chain polymers. These chains straighten when the material is stretched and recoil to their original shape upon removal of the load. This fundamental phenomenon contributes to the observed complex mechanical behaviour of rubber, making it a load-dependent material. Although mechanical behaviour and predictions for materials such as metals and plastics are well researched, very few analyses and prediction models have been carried out for elastomers. Most of these models include only a few parameters and are dependent on strain levels and/or strain energy density.The proposed research program will focus on developing a new constitutive model for elastomers to account for strain rate effects and temperature effects, leading to better performance prediction of rubber components. We will undertake a comprehensive testing program in which simple tension, pure shear, biaxial extension, and volumetric compression tests will be performed to determine the viscoelastic properties of elastomers under quasi-static and dynamic loadings in different environments. The findings of this research program will represent a major contribution to the area of advanced materials and design in the automotive industry. In addition, the proposed work will result in the development of a methodology to characterize elastomers with unique properties specifically for industrial applications and, most importantly, the development and innovative engineering of rubber materials.