고무부품의 신뢰성을 확보하기 위해서는 피로수명예측 및 평가기술 개발이 중요하다 하겠다. 최근에 고무부품에 대한 고성능, 고신뢰성을 위해 설계, 해석 및 평가기술이 요구되고 있으나, 지금까지는 경험과 시행착오적인 방법으로 개발되고 있는 실정이다. 따라서, 본 연구에서는 고무소재에 대해 배합조건, 기계적 특성, 열화 및 피로수명 등을 포함하는 고무소재 물성 데이터베이스를 구축하고, 고무부품의 특성해석 결과를 데이터베이스와 연계하여 고무부품의 피로해석 모델을 개발하였으며, 실제 피로시험 결과를 통하여 개발된 모델의 타당성을 검증하였다.
Fatigue analysis and lifetime evaluation are very important in design procedure for assuring the safety and reliability of rubber components for mechanical systems. Till recently, the technology for the design, analysis, and evaluation of rubber products was required to manufacture rubber products with high quality, fidelity, and reliability. However, in the rubber-manufacturing companies in Korea, the processes of compound mixing, manufacturing of rubber products, and improvement of rubber properties are based on the trial-and-error method and experience. The objectives of this study are to establish methods for testing rubber materials, to develop a database of the properties of rubber materials, to evaluate the performance of rubber components, and to develop a system for predicting fatigue life. A method to predict fatigue-life of rubber components was proposed; in this method, the finite-element analysis and fatigue damage parameter as determined from a fatigue test are incorporated.
