Prestretch effect on snap-through instability of short-length tubular elastomeric balloons under inflation

The inflated elastomeric balloon structures are widely used in engineering fields such as elastomeric actuators and artificial muscles. This study, involving both experiment and modeling, is focused on the prestretch effect on non-linear behavior of inflated short-length tubular elastomeric balloons. In the experiment, the prestretched tubular elastomeric balloon is subjected to air pressure while the two ends are fixed with rigid tubes. The shape evolutions of the tubular elastomeric balloons are illustrated. The non-axisymmetric bulging is observed in the inflated tubular balloon with small prestretch. An analytical model based on continuum mechanics is developed to investigate the inflation behavior of the tubular balloons, and the analytical results agree well with the experimental observation. Analysis shows that snap-through instabilities may happen during the inflation of the tubular balloon. Prestretch along the axis of the tubular balloon can suppress instability during inflation and regulate the reaction force along the axial direction. This work can guide the future application of tubular balloons in elastomeric actuators and artificial muscles. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.