Abstract
The interest of the fatigue life of rubber components such as engine mounts is increasing according to the extension of warranty period of the automotive components. Automotive engine mounts get damaged due to thermal and mechanical loadings. This paper discusses a fatigue life prediction of the 3-dimensional dumbbell specimens for natural rubber compound considering the effects of maximum strain and heat aging temperature. Displacement controlled fatigue life tests were performed using specimens with different levels of maximum strain and various hardness. The basic mechanical properties test and the fatigue test of aged rubber specimen under normal and elevated temperature were executed. A procedure to predicted the fatigue life of vulcanized natural rubber material based on the maximum strain method was proposed, and then this curve was in good agreement with fatigue test data less than 200% error range.
