Effect of mechanical loading history on fatigue crack growth of non-crystallizing rubber

Jacopo Schieppati, Bernd Schrittesser, Alfred Wondracek, Stefan Robin, Armin Holzner, Gerald Pinter

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1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Rubbers possess unique mechanical properties that make them indispensable for technological products such as seals and tires, which are normally subjected to quasi-static loading conditions which superimposes cyclic loads; their failure is mainly related to fatigue. In this study the focus is on the effect on fatigue of parameters connected to the mechanical history. Fatigue crack growth of a non-crystallizing rubber was investigated using cyclically loaded pure shear specimens considering different loading conditions. In a first step, the geometry of the specimens, in terms of width to height ratios and notch length, was considered to avoid specimen-influences on the results. Subsequently, several tests were implemented using both force and displacement control with different loading histories. Finally, the effect on the fatigue crack growth of parameters such as waveform, frequency and load ratio was investigated. In general, no significant influence of load or displacement control was found. Among the loading parameters, waveform and load ratio seem not to have a marked effect on the fatigue behavior of the material. In contrast, decreasing values of frequency were found to increase the crack growth rate.
Original languageEnglish
Article number108010
Number of pages13
JournalEngineering Fracture Mechanics
Volume257.2021
Issue numberNovember
Early online date24 Sept 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2021

Bibliographical note

Rubbers possess unique mechanical properties that make them indispensable for technological products such as seals and tires, which are normally subjected to quasi-static loading conditions which superimposes cyclic loads; their failure is mainly related to fatigue. In this study the focus is on the effect on fatigue of parameters connected to the mechanical history. Fatigue crack growth of a non-crystallizing rubber was investigated using cyclically loaded pure shear specimens considering different loading conditions. In a first step, the geometry of the specimens, in terms of width to height ratios and notch length, was considered to avoid specimen-influences on the results. Subsequently, several tests were implemented using both force and displacement control with different loading histories. Finally, the effect on the fatigue crack growth of parameters such as waveform, frequency and load ratio was investigated. In general, no significant influence of load or displacement control was found. Among the loading parameters, waveform and load ratio seem not to have a marked effect on the fatigue behavior of the material. In contrast, decreasing values of frequency were found to increase the crack growth rate.

Keywords

  • Fatigue crack growth
  • Frequency
  • Hysteresis
  • Load ratio
  • Rubber

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