Abstract
Particle-reinforced rubbers exhibit a marked stress softening during
unloading after loading in uniaxial tension tests, i.e. the stress
on unloading is significantly less than that on loading at the same
stretch. This hysteretic behaviour is not accounted for when the
mechanical properties are represented in terms of a strain-energy
function, i.e. if the material is modelled as hyperelastic. In this
paper a theory of pseudo-elasticity is used to model loading, partial
or complete unloading and the subsequent reloading and unloading
of reinforced rubber. The basis of the model is the inclusion in
the energy function of a variable that enables the energy function
to be changed as the deformation path changes between loading, partial
unloading, reloading and any further unloading. The dissipation of
energy, i.e. the difference between the energy input during loading
and the energy returned on unloading is accounted for in the model
by the use of a dissipation function, the form of which changes between
unloading, reloading and subsequent unloading.
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