ABSTRACT
This chapter describes a new approach for the modelling of the idealised Mullins effect. The Mullins effect is considered to be a consequence of chain breakage and reformation at the micro level. The Mullins effect is assumed to be a result of the chain breakage at the micro level of the polymer network. The micro structure of rubber-like materials is characterised by a huge number of single chains connected at certain points which form in this way a three-dimensional randomly structured network. The microscopic structure of polymers is characterised by arbitrary three-dimensional ensembles of long, randomly oriented molecular chains which are linked together at certain points. In this way an arbitrary three-dimensional network is formed. In addition there exist intermolecular interactions between the particular atoms which have an important influence on the dilatational response of rubber-like material. Alternatively rubber-like materials can be described by purely continuum-based models.
