Dynamic extension of a compressible nonlinearly elastic membrane tube

The dynamic response of an isotropic compressible hyperelastic membrane tube is considered when one end is fixed and the other is subjected to a suddenly applied dynamic extension. The equations governing dynamic axially symmetric deformations of the membrane tube are presented for a general form of compressible isotropic elastic strain-energy function. Numerical results, obtained using a Godunov-type finite volume method and valid up to the time at which reflections occur at the fixed end of the tube, are given for two specific forms of the strain-energy function that characterizes a class of compressible elastomers (the Blatz-Ko model). The question of how the numerical results are related to the exact solution obtained for a limiting case is discussed.