On the Characterisation and Modelling of the NR-BR Blend Under Harmonic Excitation Considering Self-heating Effect

It is no secret that elastomers are involved across a wide range of industrial applications. These are exposed to various environmental influences, which ultimately have a significant impact on the service lifespan of the elastomer. If the elastomer is used as a decoupling element within a mechanical system, it is exposed to complex static with superimposed dynamic loads, frequently at elevated temperatures. To design a component that can withstand such loads while keeping the product development costs as low as possible, a numerical simulation can be of a great help—the design can be varied quite easily and the simulation results can determine the critical areas within the component geometry with sufficient accuracy. These areas play an essential role if the service lifespan of the component is of interest. The determination of the lifespan becomes even more complicated when the dependence of the mechanical stresses on temperature and the fact that the component can heat up due to a partial dissipation of the mechanical energy are taken into account. These considerations raise a series of problems that severely complicate the development of such a product. This study presents the approaches to experimentally determine the material properties which are used within a thermodynamically-consistent numerical model.