Dynamic loading technology for Mullins effect of rubber elastomer used in aeronautical tires

The rubber elastomers, widely used in aeronautical tires, are subject to experience severe dynamic cycling loading during their engineering service. In order to obtain their mechanical characteristics and potential damage mechanisms under those conditions, a dynamic loading methodology was proposed for performing Mullins effect experiments based on stress wave loading. According to the characteristics of stress wave propagation, the dimension parameters of each unit were designed and configured on the basis of Hopkinson pressure bar principle. An experimental system was then built for rubber elastomer materials, and the dynamic cyclic behavior of styrene-butadiene rubber used in tires was obtained. The analyses on the experimental original signals demonstrated that the system can obtain the increasing maximum strain during each cycle, which manifested the system can achieve the dynamic loading of Mullins effect for elastomer. Finally, the loading system specificaitons were discussed for obtaining controllable loading and unloading parameters after finely adjusting system components.