BULGE TEST APPLICATION IN THE CHARACTERIZATION PROCESS OF ELASTOMER MATERIALS MEMBRANES

The mechanical characterization of elastomers is a complex task that requires several standardized tests to determine its behavior. When trying to character-ize membranes, the process requires sufficient material to be present. To en-sure that the obtained data is reliable, it is essential to validate the elastomer before using this information in a complex model simulation. This paper de-scribes the process of characterization using artificial intelligence techniques and the bulge test to determine the material constitutive parameters of elasto-mers. To achieve this goal, a test bench was designed. It includes an electronic control system to measure the bulge deformation through a laser sensor. Fi-nally, finite elements method (FEM) models were proposed. They replicate as much as possible the real test design. The Shell and Brick elements have been used to mesh the models’ membrane. The reliability of the characterization method has been proved by the results that were obtained. Deformation and stress values had fewer than 15% error when using Shell elements. This type of elements should be selected when developing future membrane models, thereby ensuring a fit between FEM and the problem under study. The small error obtained as well as the computational cost used suggest that the meth-odology proposed in this work could be a simpler and cheaper alternative to be used in the characterization of elastomers than other more sophisticated methods require