Modeling of the equilibrium component of the stress tensor of filled elastomeric materials with taking into account the Mullins softening effect

TL;DR

This paper models the equilibrium stress component in filled elastomeric materials, incorporating Mullins softening effects, and verifies the model through cyclic uniaxial experiments with varying filler contents and deformation levels.

Contribution

It introduces a mathematical model for equilibrium stresses in filled elastomers that accounts for Mullins softening, validated by experimental cyclic tests.

Findings

Model accurately describes equilibrium stresses in filled elastomers.

Mullins softening significantly affects the stress response.

Experimental data confirms the model's validity.

Abstract

Elastomers are viscoelastic materials and their properties significantly depend on the loading rate. The actual stress experienced by these materials is the sum of equilibrium and dissipative (inelastic) terms. At very low loading rates we can eliminate the significant influence of time effects and model the material as hyperelastic. In this paper, the features of the experimental determination and subsequent mathematical description of equilibrium stresses are considered. Verification of the proposed equations has been carried out for a series of experiments - cyclic uniaxial tests of samples of materials on the basis of the same matrix, but with different filler contents and under different maximum degrees of deformation.