Modeling of the Dynamic Mechanical Response of Elastomers

The mechanical behavior of elastomers is characterized by rate- and temperature-dependence, and the stress-strain response is known to be strongly non-linear. These experimental features are well recognized and important, and have been extensively studied for more than 50 years. The understanding of the micromechanisms controlling the macroscopic mechanical behavior is much more recent, and advanced modeling tools allowing for accurate predictions of arbitrary deformation histories have only started to become available during the last few years. This paper outlines the current state of the art in finite element modeling of elastomers, and exemplifies the predictive capabilities of modern constitutive theories for filled elastomers.