Influence of Mullins effect on local strains and stresses in structures-Numerical analysis

International audienceElastomers exhibit a stress-softening response which depends on the maximum strain previously endured by the material. In complex structures, the strain is not homogeneous; as a consequence, the local maxima of strain is not uniform and the stress-softening either. In the sequel, a stress-softening model is used for finite element simulations. It appears that the damage distribution is not homogeneous and that weak zones of the structure vary in a great range. As expected, stress levels depend strongly on the loading path, and the strain state is also modified because of the non-homogeneity of the whole structure. This brings to light that the Mullins effect is of fundamental importance in structural and fatigue design