UC Irvine

Magneto-Rheological Elastomers (MREs) are smart materials whose mechanical properties can be altered by external magnetic fields rapidly and reversibly. In this thesis, the large-strain behavior of MREs was studied by nonlinear finite element simulations under uniaxial tension and pure shear deformation. A modeling approach has been employed to investigate the mechanical behavior of silicone-rubber based MREs. Mooney-Rivlin model was used to simulate the mechanical response of matrix. Cohesive-zone model depending on the assumption of rubber-iron adhesion energy was used to define interface properties between particles and matrix. All types of models showed strongly non-linear stress-strain behavior. The simulation results agreed well with the experiments carried out by other researchers. Parametric studies were created to analyze the impacts of particle fraction, interface adhesion and microstructures in composite on the mechanical response of MREs models. Simulations outlined the influence of interface adhesion

on the mechanical properties of MREs, which was more obvious in the case of higher particle volume fraction. Anisotropic Representative Volume Element (RVE) models revealed that the increase stiffness response due to the enhancement of chain-like particle alignment structures.