ABSTRACT
The structural design and dimensioning of elastomer components is still a challenge from the point of view of fatigue-related service life prediction. Recently, a correlated lifetime prediction concept has been suggested for load cases with R=0, which argues with crack growth and particle size distribution from 3D computer tomography [1-4]. This method is extended to load cases with R> 0. Investigating CB filled SBR rubber, fatigue test for dumbbell specimens and crack growth investigation for Single Edge Notched (SEN) specimens are carried out under dynamic loading with preload variation at room temperature. The results show a correlation of the influence of the preload on the Wöhler SN-curve from fatigue test to that on the Paris-Erdogan plot from crack growth investigation. The calculated lifetime values for R=0 show reasonable accordance with the experimental findings. These results confirm the concept of considering initial flaws as crack initiators, whereas the crack growth is driven by the dynamical part of the energy density.
