Data-Driven Identification unravels multiaxial mechanical response of a carbon-black filled elastomer during ageing

• Published in: Polymer testing Vol. 137; p. 108521
• Main Authors: Madeira, H., Costecalde, L., Coret, M., Leygue, A., Le Gac, P.Y., Le Gall, M., Verron, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2024; Elsevier
• Subjects: Ageing; Chemical Sciences; Data-driven; Elastomer; Mechanics; Mechanics of materials; Multiaxiality; Physics; Polymers; Strain energy density; Strain energy density; Multiaxiality; Data-driven; Ageing; Elastomer
• ISSN: 0142-9418; 1873-2348
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymertesting.2024.108521

Under environmental exposure, the mechanical properties of elastomers change due to ageing, all while enduring mechanical service loading conditions. The influence of ageing on the multiaxial mechanical response of elastomers remains an understudied question, lacking exploration in both experimental evidence and modelling proposals. The present study describes an experimental/numerical approach to characterize the multiaxial behaviour of elastomers with consideration of ageing. This technique associates complex experimental tests conducted with a hexapod device, with a Data-Driven Identification (DDI) algorithm. Practically, heterogeneous strain fields are measured by Digital Image Correlation (DIC), and the corresponding stress and energy fields are calculated by DDI. These fields are visualized through three-dimensional maps, encompassing kinematical quantities and strain energy density. These maps convincingly capture the stiffening induced by ageing, in different deformation modes. Finally, the coupling between ageing and multiaxiality is foregathered in a material database that can be fitted for further modelling purposes. [Display omitted] •The multiaxial behaviour of a filled polychloroprene is investigated through ageing.•Hexapod tests and a data-driven approach yield to multiaxial heterogeneous fields.•A large diversity of deformation modes is explored for two ageing conditions.•Uniaxial and multiaxial strain energy density show matching ageing-induced stiffening.•A database is built to sample the material multiaxial response through ageing.