Journal Papers Published by the Rubber Research Group

"Crack Growth and Strain Induced Anisotropy in Carbon Black Filled Natural Rubber"

Author(s): J.J.C. Busfield, C.H. Ratsimba and A.G. Thomas

Journal: Journal of Natural Rubber Research, Vol. 12, No. 3, (1997) p.131-141.

The work discussed outlines the development of a technique to predict failure of rubber components under repeated complex stressing. A fracture mechanics approach is adopted, which has been shown to work with simple plane stress type geometry in the past. Real components with three dimensional loading and geometry can be examined with the use of finite element analysis techniques. These now allow us to investigate real fracture type problems to large strain deformations.