Document Type

Theses, Ph.D

Rights

Available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 4.0 International Licence

Disciplines

2. ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY, 2.3 MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Publication Details

Successfully submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) to the Technological University Dublin, September, 2011.

Abstract

The research described here is concerned with improving finite element analysis (FEA) of rubber components subjected to dynamic loading, particularly in respect of accurate modelling of stress softening using standard software codes and phenomenological material models. The research required the design and implementation of a user subroutine capable of inclusion in standard highly nonlinear codes. Experimental methods were employed to corroborate the FEA simulations and so validate the subroutine. This was also achieved using 3D image correlation photogrammetry (ICP) and other novel experimental procedures. From this experimentation and modelling, the results for different rubber specimens and load cases were presented. The primary aim of the research was to provide a novel method for modelling stress softening for localised stress concentration at discontinuities in rubber components and to implement optimised stress softening subroutines for rubber into commercial software codes. As a consequence other novel research is presented in respect of: i) A semi empirical formula for elastomer stress softening. ii) Recommendations for improving ICP techniques applied to rubber. iii) A determination of the likelihood of large flaws causing premature failures in rubber specimens.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.21427/D78W3S

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