Mixed Finite Element Analysis of Elastomeric Butt-Joints

Abstract

This paper presents a mixed finite element formulation approximating large deformations observed in the analysis of elastomeric butt-joints. The rubber has been considered as nearly incompressible continuum obeying the Mooney/Rivlin (M/R) strain energy density function. The parameters of the model were determined by fitting the available from the literature uniaxial tension experimental data with the constitutive equation derived from the M/R model. The optimum value of the Poisson ratio is adjusted by comparing the experimentally observed diametral contraction of the model with that numerically obtained using the finite element method. The solution of the problem has been obtained utilizing the mixed finite element procedure on the basis of displacement/pressure mixed interpolation and enhanced strain energy mixed formulation. For comparison purposes, an axisymmetric with two-parameter M/R model and a three-dimensional (3D) with nine-parameters M/R model of the butt-joint are formulated and numerical results are illustrated concerning axisymmetric or general loading. For small strains the stress and/or strain distribution in the 2D axisymmetric butt-joint problem was compared with derived analytical solutions. Stress distributions along critical paths are evaluated and discussed.