Determination of material response functions for prestrained rubbers

The mechanical response of two natural rubber compounds is examined in order to determine relevant material parameters by non-linear finite element analysis. The materials are subjected to (a) combined static torsion and extension, and (b) small, steady-state torsional oscillations superposed on a large static simple extension. The materials are assumed to be incompressible and isotropic in their undeformed state and a time-strain separable relaxation modulus tensor is employed in order to characterize the steady-state harmonic viscoelastic response. The combined static torsion and extension experiments are used to determine the basic delayed elastic response functions. A Rivlin-type strain energy expression of third-order accuracy is used for the purpose. The two-constant, Mooney-Rivlin form is found to be adequate for both materials in the relatively limited range of deformation magnitudes considered.The torsional storage and loss moduli are determined under quasistatic conditions as functions of frequency and axial static pre-strain. The time-strain separability is found to be a resonable approximation in a relatively limited range of static prestrain magnitudes and frequencies considered for the natural gum rubbers investigated. The experimental methodology is discussed in some detail.