Evaluation of a simple nonlinear elastic constitutive form

A nonlinear, two constant stress-deformation form is deduced for elastic materials. At very large stretch ratios of greater than about 3 or 4, the model exhibits the strain stiffening behavior common to many elastomers. The constitutive form is very simple since the two material constants enter it as multiplying constants times certain nonlinear deformation terms. The model is evaluated with respect to data upon natural rubber under both uniaxial and bi-axial stress conditions. The model is also used to evaluate data obtained from a nonlinear membrane inflation experiment. The latter experimental capability and corresponding data are new.Work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract W-7405-Eng-48.