Modeling and simulation of damage in elastomer structures at high strains

A new model is proposed in order to simulate correctly the behaviour of elastomers for very large deformations. The hyperelastic Hart-Smith's model is revisited in order to take into account the damage of elastomers and the opening and the closing of micro-defects. Applications concern structures with elastomer used in space industry. Shear loadings are typical solicitations for these structures. Whenever the material is able to undergo very large deformations (600-700%), the simulation of this type of experiment up to so high strains is not easy. The failure of industrial finite element code leads us to develop a prototype software using a non-incremental method (large time increment method) and a material formulation with "rotated" quantities. Some applications are. shown for elastic or hyperelastic materials, especially for nearly incompressible materials. (C) 2002 Civil-Comp Ltd. and Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.