Mechanical properties and fuzzy modeling of high-damping rubber with thermal effects

Abstract

An experimental program is reported in which the mechanical properties of high-damping natural rubber were measured. Rubber specimens were tested using a custom-designed mechanical apparatus that is equipped with a temperature chamber as well as displacement and force transducers. Each specimen was subjected to a wide range of carefully controlled dynamic loading tests. Variables studied include the strain, strain rate, and temperature of the material. Results from laboratory testing were used to formulate a fuzzy model of mechanical behavior for shear of the rubber compound. Instead of a mathematical representation of the high-damping rubber material, a Takagi-Sugeno-Kang fuzzy inference system is used to relate three input variables with the shear stress. Parameters of seven membership functions are determined through the use of an (adaptive neurofuzzy inference system). Experimental data applied for training and checking of the model are concatenated sets. The resulting fuzzy inference system is shown graphically and analytically to represent accurately the behavior of the high-damping rubber while minimizing computational requirements.