Strain Criteria for Rubber Fatigue Assessment Under Mechanical Loading and Temperature Environments

Abstract

It is challenging for engineers and scientists to perform fatigue assessments on rubber components considering the effects of both mechanical loads and elevated temperatures concomitantly. This article studies the possibility of deriving fatigue functions using strain criteria, which can relate to the rubber fatigue life under mechanical loads and temperature environments. Twenty-four published experimental cases, including rubber samples with Shore 50 and 45, were used to verify these two derived functions under a temperature range of 23°C–90°C. A scatter factor 2.0 has contained all predicted points when using the functions. Hence, these proposed methodologies could be applied to an appropriate design stage for antivibration mounts. Further justification is needed regarding the method's relevance to other rubber composites.