Numerical analysis of the dependence of rubber hysteresis loss and heat generation on temperature and frequency

Abstract

The hysteresis loss and the heat generation of rubber compounds under different ambient temperatures and frequencies were predicted in terms of the viscoelastic theory. The cross-linking densities and the dynamic compressive properties were measured in order to partially reveal the microstructures and the viscoelastic response of rubber specimens. Based on the experimental data of storage and loss moduli, a piecewise fitting method was established to determine the viscoelastic constitutive model parameters. Then the dynamic compressive process of natural rubber specimen was analyzed by the finite element method. The obtained hysteresis loss and the energy dissipation were used to predict the transient and steady-state temperature field. The results reveal that the dependence of rubber hysteresis loss on the frequency at a lower ambient temperature plays a more important role in predicting the heat generation of rubber compounds; the dependence becomes weaker as the ambient temperature increases.