Component design of rubber-based anti-vibration devices remains a challenge, since there is a lack of predictive models in the typical regimes encountered by anti-vibration devices that are deformed to medium dynamic strains (0.5 to 3.5) at medium strain rates (0.5/s to 10/s). An approach is proposed that demonstrates all non-linear viscoelastic effects such as hysteresis and cyclic stress softening. As it is based on a free-energy, it is fast and easily implementable. The fitting parameters behave meaningfully when changing the filler volume fraction. The model was implemented for use in the commercial finite element software ABAQUS. Examples of how to fit experimental data and simulations for a variety of carbon black filled natural rubber compounds are presented.

Current theoretical descriptions of rubber or elastomer friction are complex—usually due to extensive mathematical detail describing the topography of the solid surface. In addition, the viscoelastic properties of the elastomer material itself, in particular if the rubber is highly filled, further increase the complexity. On the other hand, experimental coefficients of sliding friction plotted versus sliding speed, temperature or other parameters do not contain much structure, which suggests that a less detailed approach is possible. Here we investigate the coefficient of sliding friction on dry surfaces via scaling and dimensional analysis. We propose that adhesion promotes viscoelastic dissipation by increasing the deformation amplitude at relevant length scales. Finally, a comparatively simple expression for the coefficient of friction is obtained, which allows an intuitive understanding of the underlying physics and fits experimental data for various speeds, temperatures, and pressures.