A Simplified Constitutive Model for Dowel Action across RC Cracks

ABSTRACT A new computational technique for the thermomechanical analysis of tires in stationary rolling contact is suggested. Different from the existing approaches, the proposed method uses the constitutive description of tire rubber components, such as large deformations, viscous hysteresis, dynamic stiffening, internal heating, and temperature dependency. A thermoviscoelastic constitutive model, which incorporates all the mentioned effects and their numerical aspects, is presented. An isentropic operator-split algorithm, which ensures numerical stability, was chosen for solving the coupled mechanical and energy balance equations. For the stationary rolling-contact analysis, the constitutive model presented and the operator-split algorithm are embedded into the Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE)–relative kinematic framework. The flow of material particles and their inelastic history within the spatially fixed mesh is described by using the recently developed numerical technique based on the Time Discontinuous Galerkin (TDG) method. For the efficient numerical solutions, a three-phase, staggered scheme is introduced. First, the nonlinear, mechanical subproblem is solved using inelastic constitutive equations. Next, deformations are transferred to the subsequent thermal phase for the solution of the heat equations concerning the internal dissipation as a source term. In the third step, the history of each material particle, i.e., each internal variable, is transported through the fixed mesh corresponding to the convective velocities. Finally, some numerical tests with an inelastic rubber wheel and a car tire model are presented.

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An Alternative Technique to Evaluate Crack Propagation Path in Hyperelastic Materials

Tire Science and Technology ◽

10.2346/1.3684484 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

pp. 42-58 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

R. R. M. Ozelo ◽

P. Sollero ◽

A. L. A. Costa

Keyword(s):

Constitutive Model ◽

Crack Propagation ◽

Experimental Tests ◽

Growth Direction ◽

Propagation Path ◽

J Integral ◽

Alternative Technique ◽

Crack Propagation Path ◽

Hyperelastic Materials ◽

Material Constitutive Model

Abstract REFERENCE: R. R. M. Ozelo, P. Sollero, and A. L. A. Costa, “An Alternative Technique to Evaluate Crack Propagation Path in Hyperelastic Materials,” Tire Science and Technology, TSTCA, Vol. 40, No. 1, January–March 2012, pp. 42–58. ABSTRACT: The analysis of crack propagation in tires aims to provide safety and reliable life prediction. Tire materials are usually nonlinear and present a hyperelastic behavior. Therefore, the use of nonlinear fracture mechanics theory and a hyperelastic material constitutive model are necessary. The material constitutive model used in this work is the Mooney–Rivlin. There are many techniques available to evaluate the crack propagation path in linear elastic materials and estimate the growth direction. However, most of these techniques are not applicable to hyperelastic materials. This paper presents an alternative technique for modeling crack propagation in hyperelastic materials, based in the J-Integral, to evaluate the crack path. The J-Integral is an energy-based parameter and is applicable to nonlinear materials. The technique was applied using abaqus software and compared to experimental tests.

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