Modeling Rubber Disks Subjected to Small Compressions

A simple method for the analysis of incompressible rubber disks subjected to small compressions originally proposed by Gent and Lindley ⁽¹⁾ is to regard the deformation as arising from a superposition of homogeneous compression and shear deformations. This so-called “pressure method” has been extended to compressible materials by Chalhoub and Kelly ⁽⁹⁾ and Gent. ⁽¹¹⁾  Global load-deflection characteristics as well as local pressure and stress distributions are predicted by this method.  FEA are performed to verify these predictions.  While FEA results are in good agreement with analytical predictions for nearly incompressible materials, significant discrepancies are found with compressible materials.  Attempts are made to reconcile these differences.