ABSTRACT
Rubber parts are widely used in many applications such as tires, engine mounts, bumpers or shoes. This chapter focuses on the prediction of crack initiation in rubber for which most widely used criteria are the maximum principal stretch and the strain energy density. It aims to rationalize the crack growth approach using the theoretical framework of the Eshelbian mechanics. The chapter discusses the principal works on the Eshelbian mechanics. In the majority of studies involving the Eshelbian Mechanics, only configurational forces are investigated through the calculation of path-independent integrals around inhomogeneities. Then, some comparisons of the theory with published experimental data are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of the crack growth approach. More precisely, properties of the configurational stress tensor are thoroughly examined to derive the criterion. Predictions are compared with published experimental data and the efficiency of the theory is highlighted.
