Hyperelastic constitutive model for rubber-like materials based on the first Seth strain measures invariant

Abstract

The mechanical behaviour of isotropic and incompressible vulcanized natural rubbers (NR's) and that of quasi-incompressible carbon black filled vulcanized natural rubbers (NR 70) are considered both theoretically and experimentally. We start by generalising the neo-Hookean model to derive an original form of the strain energy density function (W). W satisfies the hypothesis of the Valanis–Landel function, which allows reducing the number of needed experimental tests to identify the parameters of the model. In the present study, in the order to identity the analytical form of W, we undertake only simple tension tests. The two-dimensional field of in-plane homogeneous displacements is determined here using a home-developed image analysis cross-correlation technique. Our model is also identified using results taken from the literature in the case of (NR's) for different types of solicitations, including simple tension, equibiaxial tension and pure shear deformation. Comparison of numerical results with the experimental data indicates that the present model can characterise the hyperelastic behaviour of NR's and that of NR 70 for all the tested modes of deformation. Moreover, it seems to be valid over a wide range of deformation intervals.