ISSN: 1546-962X
Published Online: 26 July 2004
Page Count: 10

Issues Related to the Mechanical Property Characterization of Sealants
White, CC
Research Scientist and Guest Scientist, Building and Fire Research Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, MD

Hunston, DL
Research Scientist and Guest Scientist, Building and Fire Research Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, MD

(Received 10 December 2002; accepted 27 September 2003)

Abstract

Quantification of the mechanical properties of cured sealant is complicated by the presence of the Mullins effect. This paper examines the Mullins effect using five different sealants encompassing the range of properties and formulations found in commercial sealants. Three main observations include: the Mullins effect was observed in all sealant formulations studied, the Mullins effect was observed in both tension and compression strains, and there was a recovery of the Mullins effect after sufficient periods of time between repeated loading cycles. Simple rules were formulated to describe the Mullins effect. Moreover, the tests show that understanding the Mullins effect is crucial in characterizing the mechanical properties of a sealant.

Keywords:
durability, elastomer, material properties, Mullins effect, rheology, sealant, stress-extension, viscoelasticity

Paper ID: JAI11607
DOI: 10.1520/JAI11607
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