Material modelling and numerical simulation of elastomeric components in pumps and valves

Objectives include:
1. Develop an FEA based methodology and procedure that local Weir Group engineering sites can use to better analyse and predict the behaviour of elastomeric components.
2. Develop an understanding into the behaviour of elastomeric materials in Weir Group products, components and manufacturing issues.
3. Develop a training program on elastomer modelling for Weir Group Engineers.

1) Using Microsoft Visual Basic.NET, a Windows application has been developed, which introduces a convenient GUI between non-experienced engineer and ANSYS Mechanical APDL, and implements an experimental SS-curve fitting and solution of an improved benchmark problem.
2) Nine isotropic incompressible hyperelastic material models available in ANSYS have been reviewed, fitted to experimental data and compared, therefore resulting in their ranking according to efficiency and applicability.
3) Open-source datasets of stress-strain curves have been collected: 7 sets for different formulations of natural rubber and 7 sets for different grades of synthetic rubbers.
4) CPD video course has been developed and released online.