Failure mechanisms of rubber composites are extremely complex and three dimensional in nature. This project focuses on the development of a 3-D finite element model which includes geometrical and material nonlinearities, anisotropic, and bimodular material behavior for characterizing the interface/interlaminar failures in rubber composites. Formulations for 3-D tearing energy computations, failure criterion for characterizing different interface failures and prediction of crack propagation path will be developed. Emphasis will be placed on the simplicity of the model and accuracy, and the use of computer graphics to represent the interface failure mechanisms for better understanding of rubber composite structures. The finite element results obtained will be validated using benchmark problems and available experimental data.
