Finite element stress analysis of polymers at high strains

A numerical analysis is presented for the problem of a flat rectangular rubber membrane with a circular rigid inclusion undergoing high strains due to the action of an axial load. The neo-hookean constitutive equations are introduced into the general purpose TITUS program by means of equivalent hookean constants and initial strains. The convergence is achieved after a few iterations. The method is not limited to any specific program. The results are in good agreement with those of a company sponsored photoelastic stress analysis. The theoretical and experimental deformed shapes also agree very closely with one another. For high strains it is demonstrated that using the conventional HOOKE law the stress concentration factor obtained is unreliable in the case of rubberlike material.