Papers by Author: Chang Su Woo

Abstract: A stress softening known as the Mullins effect is observed usually in rubberlike material after the first load. This paper describes an experimental test method for defining the nonlinear properties of rubber materials used for finite element analysis. Experimental observations have shown that the Mullins effect induces a permanent set and some anisotropy. To test the Mullins effect the mechanical preconditioning is suggested to stabilize the properties of rubber material. A stress-strain curve will change significantly when the rubber material is strained greater than the previous stabilized level. Therefore, material properties at maximum strain level are obtained to predict behavior of rubber products. To obtain the rubber material constants used for finite element analysis to understand the characteristics of automotive rubber parts, mechanical properties tests such as uniaxial tension, equ-biaxial tension and pure shear tests are required. When the load was repeatedly applied to the rubber specimen, the stress-strain relationship was greatest in the first and second cycles, and the larger the strain range, the more the stress was reduced. The material constants were obtained using the stress-strain data after the rubber specimen was stabilized. The value of stiffness decreased as the maximum strain range increased. The static stiffness of an automotive engine mount is calculated by nonlinear finite element analysis using the experimentally determined material constants and compared with the experimental results considering the mechanical preconditioning effect resulting in a good correlation.

Abstract: The material modeling of hyper-elastic properties in rubber is generally characterized by the strain energy function. The strain energy functions have been represented either in term of the strain in variants that are functions of the stretch ratios, or directly in terms of the principal stretch. Successful modeling and design of rubber components relies on both the selection of an appropriate strain energy function and an accurate determination of material constants in the function. Material constants in the strain energy functions can be determined from the curve fitting of experimental stress-strain data. The uniaxial tension, equi-biaxial tension and pure shear test were performed to acquire the constants of the strain energy functions which were Mooney-Rivlin and Ogden model. Nonlinear finite element analysis was executed to evaluate the behavior of deformation and strain distribute by using the commercial finite element code. Also, the fatigue tests were carried out to obtain the fatigue failure. Fatigue failure was initiated at the critical location was observed during the fatigue test of rubber component, which was the same result predicted by the finite element analysis.

Abstract: Fatigue life of automotive engine mount insulator made of natural rubber was evaluated. In order to develop an appropriate fatigue damage parameter of the rubber material, a series of displacement controlled fatigue tests was conducted using 3-dimensional dumbbell specimens with different levels of mean displacement. It was shown that the maximum Green-Lagrange strain was a proper damage parameter, taking the mean displacement effects into account. Nonlinear finite element analyses of the rubber engine mount insulator and 3D dumbbell specimen were performed based on a hyper-elastic material model determined from the simple and equi-biaxial tension tests. Fatigue life prediction of the engine mount insulator was made by incorporating the maximum Green-Lagrange strain values, which was evaluated from the finite element analysis and fatigue tests, respectively. Predicted fatigue lives of the engine mount insulator showed a fairly good agreement with the experimental fatigue lives.

Abstract: Rubber material properties and useful life evaluation are very important in design procedure to assure the safety and reliability of the rubber components. In this paper, the evaluation of characteristics and useful life prediction of rubber component for elevator cabin were experimentally investigated. The material test and accelerated heat-aging test were carried. Rubber material constants were obtained by curve fittings of simple tension, pure shear and bi-axial tension test data. Heat aging test results changes as the threshold are used for assessment of the useful life and time to threshold value were plotted against reciprocal of absolute temperature to give the Arrhenius plot. By using the rubber material and component test several useful life prediction equations for rubber component were proposed. Predicted useful life of rubber component for elevator cabin agreed fairly with the experimental lives.

Abstract: Rubber material properties and useful life evaluation are very important in design procedure to assure the safety and reliability of the rubber components. In this paper, the heat aging effects on the material properties and useful life prediction of rubber material for refrigerator component were experimentally investigated. The accelerated heat aging tests were carried out to predict the useful life of NBR and EPDM, which is used in refrigerator component. Compression set results changes as the threshold are used for assessment of the useful life and time to threshold value were plotted against reciprocal of absolute temperature to give the Arrhenius plot. By using the compression set test, several useful life prediction equations for rubber material were proposed.

Abstract: The fatigue analysis and lifetime evaluation are very important in design procedure to assure the safety and reliability of the rubber components. The interest of the fatigue life of rubber components such as the engine mount is increasing according to the extension of warranty period of the automotive components. In this study, the fatigue lifetime prediction methodology of the vulcanized natural rubber was proposed by incorporating the finite element analysis and fatigue damage parameter determined from fatigue tests. Finite element analysis of 3D dumbbell specimen of natural rubber was performed based on a hyper-elastic material model determined from the tension, compression and shear tests. The Green-Lagrange strain at the critical location determined from the finite element analysis was used for evaluating the fatigue damage parameter of the natural rubber. Fatigue tests were performed using the 3D dumbbell specimens with different levels of maximum strain and various load. The basic mechanical properties test and the fatigue test of rubber specimens under the normal and elevated temperature were conducted. Fatigue life curves can be effectively represented by a following single function using the maximum Green-Lagrange strain. Fatigue lives of the natural rubber are predicted by using the fatigue damage parameters at the critical location. Predicted fatigue lives of the engine mount agreed fairly with the experimental fatigue lives a factor of two.

Abstract: The interest of the fatigue life for rubber components was increasing according to the extension of warranty period of the automotive components. In this study, the fatigue lifetime prediction methodology of the vulcanized natural rubber was proposed by incorporating the finite element analysis and fatigue damage parameter determined from fatigue tests. Finite element analysis of 3D dumbbell specimen and rubber component was performed based on a hyper-elastic material model determined from the mechanical tests. The Green-Lagrange strain at the critical location determined from the finite element analysis was used for evaluating the fatigue damage parameter of the natural rubber. Fatigue tests were performed using the 3D dumbbell specimens and rubber component with different levels of maximum strain and various load. Fatigue life curves can be effectively represented by a following single function using the maximum Green-Lagrange strain. Fatigue lives of the natural rubber are predicted by using the fatigue damage parameters at the critical location. Predicted fatigue lives of the rubber component for automobile vehicle agreed fairly with the experimental fatigue lives.

Abstract: Heat-aging effects on the material properties and fatigue life prediction of natural rubber were experimentally investigated. The rubber specimens were heat-aged in an oven at the temperature ranging from 50oC to 100oC for a period ranging from 1 day to 90days. Fatigue life prediction methodology of vulcanized natural rubber was proposed by incorporating the finite element analysis and fatigue damage parameter determined from fatigue test. Fatigue life prediction equation effectively represented by a single function using the Green-Lagrange strain. Predicted lives are in a good agreement with the experimental lives within a factor of two

Abstract: An automotive transmission (TM) rubber mount is a device that is used in automotive systems to cushion the loads transmitted from the vehicle body structure. A TM rubber mount is used to support the engine in the vertical direction. However, the dynamic behavior of loaded rubber mount is not yet known to a reasonable degree of accuracy. The relationship between the force applied to a TM rubber mount and the resulting deformation exhibits features of viscoelasticity. Therefore, in this study, viscoelastic properties were measured during ramp-toconstant displacement control tests. A force-displacement relationship for a TM rubber mount is important for multi-body dynamic numerical simulations. Hence, an explicit force-displacement relationship was developed and expressed in terms of a force relaxation function. A method that can be used to determine the force-displacement relationship from experimental data for a TM rubber mount was also developed. Solutions were obtained and the results were compared with experimentally measured force-displacement behavior. The predictions of the proposed forcedisplacement relationship were in very good agreement with the experimental results.

Abstract: An automotive transmission rubber mount is a device used in automotive systems to cushion the loads transmitted from the vehicle body structure. TM (transmission) rubber mount has been used to support engine in the vertical direction. In this study, the rubber specimens of the transmission mount are tested to obtain the hyperelastic and viscoelastic properties by the static and dynamic test, respectively. Uni-axial tension test, biaxial tension test, and pure shear test are carried out and Mooney-Rivlin constants are obtained from those static tests. Also, the viscoelastic properties such as storage and loss modulus are obtained from dynamic test. Using the static and dynamic test data, the dynamic stiffness of TM rubber mount subjected to static and dynamic load are predicted with finite element analysis. Solutions allow for comparison between FEA and experimental results. It is shown that the predictions of FEA are close to the experimental results.