On the large deformation behaviour of reinforced rubber at different temperatures

This essay investigates the temperature dependence of the mechanical properties of a filler-loaded tread compound experimentally and proposes a physically based method to represent this behaviour in the framework of non-linear continuum thermomechanics. To this end, we realise a series of monotonic and cyclic strain controlled tests on cylindrical specimens in tension at different temperature levels. The experimental data show the isothermal mechanical behaviour to be mainly influenced by non-linear elasticity in combination with non-linear rate dependence and weak equilibrium hysteresis. We observe that the rate sensitivity of the material depends strongly on the temperature: at low temperature levels, the rate sensitivity is essentially higher than at high temperatures. The elastic properties of the material depend comparatively less on the temperature. Nevertheless, higher temperature levels lead to higher equilibrium stresses. In order to represent the material behaviour, we start with a multiplicative split of the deformation gradient into a mechanical and a thermal part as proposed by Lu and Pister (1975). Physically, this idea corresponds to a stress-free thermal expansion followed by an isothermal stress-producing deformation. We suppose the thermal part of the deformation gradient to be isotropic. As a consequence of this, the velocity gradient decomposes additively into a pure thermal and a pure mechanical part. By using these elements, we exploit the Clausius Duhem inequality and assume the so-called 'mechanical second Piola Kirchhoff stress tensor' to be a functional of the 'mechanical Green's strain tensor'. In a further step, we define this functional by a system of constitutive equations which are based on a rheological model. The evolution equations for the internal variables are formulated by using the concept of dual variables proposed by Haupt and Tsakmakis (1989, 1996). The rate sensitivity is modelled by a stress and temperature dependent viscosity function. The elastic part of the equilibrium stress is described by entropy elasticity in combination with a modified Mooney Rivlin strain energy function. The equilibrium hysteresis effects are represented by rate independent plasticity in arclength representation as proposed by Valanis (1971). The constitutive model is compatible with the dissipation principle of thermodynamics and describes the general trend of the experimental data fairly well. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.