A Refined Cumulative Fatigue Damage Model for Rubber Components

Prediction of the fatigue of rubber component can be difficult owing to rubber material being mechanically nonlinear and a large variety of randomness being invloved in production. Based on the classic metal fatigue prediction theory, this work proposes a refined cumulative fatigue predictor in a tensor form for the rubber components fagtigue life prediction using a hyperelastic FE analysis. The predictor is applied to estimate the fatigue behavior of engine rubber mounts under two working conditions while the fatigue life is measured using hydraulic testing machine. The predicted fatigue life is shown to be within ±2 times of the measurement results suggesting the effectiveness of the proposed method.The applicability of the proposed approach in rubber-related industrial products evaluation is discussed.