Nonlinear dynamic behaviour of rubber compounds: construction of dynamic moduli generalized master curves

The nonlinear dynamic behavior of a vulcanized rubber compound employed in the production of tires was investigated. The values of the dynamic storage modulus, E′, and the loss factor, tanδ, were measured at different frequencies, temperatures and strain amplitudes. Data were subsequently analyzed and treated by an empirical method of frequency-temperature-deformation reduction that provided for E′ and tanδ, respectively, a single master curve and the frequency-temperature and frequency-deformation shift factors. The E′ trend, extrapolated at higher strain amplitudes on the basis of the master curves, resulted in good agreement with E′ values obtained from direct experimental measurements.