Formulation and Validation of a Thermomechanical Model for Elastomeric Materials

A thermomechanical model for elastomeric materials is formulated using the method of anelastic displacement fields. The modeling methodology is presented in detail, including the nonlinear finite element formulation. Numerical simulations using room temperature material properties and a classical temperature shift function relationship are presented. Material self-heating predictions are compared to experimental data. A preliminary study of the effectiveness of the classical Arrhenius temperature shift function is presented. The results indicate that the material model is capable of predicting material self-healing trends, as well as low temperature stiffening and high temperature softening effects.