This research will focus on understanding and modelling the fundamental mechanisms governing the finite strain, multiaxial deformation of polymers. Physically-based constitutive models developed in this research will be used in conjunction with the nonlinear finite element method to enable the numerical simulation of thermo-mechanically coupled deformation processing. Simulations which compute the evolution of material state with processing parameters such as straining, deformation rate and temperature can be used to manufacture products with specially tailored properties and to define efficient paths to achieve those properties. Furthermore, the potential of closed-loop control to further enhance processing will be investigated where current information of material state (e.g. stress, strain, temperature, strength, orientation) will be used as feedback parameters to determine the remaining processing path in numerical simulations.
