Simulation Of Crack Propagation In Rubber
C. Timbrell, M. Wiehahn & G. Cook, Zentech International Ltd., Camberley, Surrey, UK
A.H. Muhr, TARRC/Rubber Consultants, Hertford, UK
Proceedings of the Third European Conference On Constitutive Models For Rubber, London, England, Sep 15-17 2003
Abstract:
Software for simulating crack propagation ("Zencrack") has been
developed which handles adaptation of the finite element mesh in the
region of the crack tip as the crack propagates, and calls up a finite
element solver as a subroutine to calculate the strain energy release
rate at each increment in crack length. The objective of this paper is
to demonstrate its applicability to rubber components.
First, the reliability of Zencrack, with ABAQUS as the solver, for
calculations of strain energy release rate for an edge crack in a strip
of rubber in simple extension is investigated. The results are in
reasonable agreement with previous analyses and experimental work from
the literature. 3D analyses show that the crack front would be ex-pected
to develop curvature during propagation. The application of Zencrack to
failure of "O" rings by internal cracking is also presented to show how
the approach could be applied to a rubber component.