Digital image correlation used to analyze the multiaxial behavior of rubber-like materials

We present an experimental approach to discriminate models describing the mechanical behavior of polymeric materials. A biaxial loading condition is obtained in a multiaxial testing machine. An evaluation of the displacement field obtained by digital image correlation allows us to evaluate the heterogeneous strain field observed during these tests. We focus on the particular case of hyper-elastic models to simulate the behavior of a rubber-like material. Different expressions of hyper-elastic potential are used to model experiments under uniaxial and biaxial loading conditions. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.