Non linear mechanical behaviour of carbon black filled natural rubber: Modelling and finite element application

The mechanical behaviour of a filled elastomer composed mainly of natural rubber reinforced by carbon black is investigated in the moderate elongation range, i.e. | ∊| < 0.4 in tension, compression and shear. Two types of carbon blacks, with different specific surfaces, are considerate. A micromechanical model is developed within a generalized self-consistent scheme. A morphological pattern made of a rubber phase surrounded by a reinforcing phase leads to a good description of the Young’s modulus in the case of an isotropic linear elastic behaviour of the constituents. The model is extended to take into account the non-linear behaviour of the phases as well as a non-linear accommodation of the stress heterogeneities between the phases. It has been implemented in a commercial finite element code and the behaviour of an anti-vibrating part is predicted.