EXPLOSIVE DECOMPRESSION FAILURE OF RUBBERS - A REVIEW OF THE ORIGINS OF PNEUMATIC STRESS-INDUCED RUPTURE IN ELASTOMERS

The Review first describes the general features of gas induced rupture in elastomers, induced by a reduction in the ambient gas pressure, an d introduces the main variables such as the gas-polymer transport and equilibrium properties. The phenomenological nature of the failure pro cesses are also described and the characteristics of the failures enco untered are summarized. It is proposed that the failure processes, whi ch involve bubble expansion and subsequent tearing of the interior and exterior of the elastomer, arise from the action of at least two stre ss fields one is provided by a simple triaxial tension and the other b y an evolving gas concentration gradient. Various routes to model this process are described in the Review. In addition, the importance of t he main system variables, on these rupture precesses, is assessed and means of deducing, and directly measuring the parameters which may inf luence the rupture process are described. These include various equili brium and transient properties such as the extent of the gas mass sorp tion, the associated volume change and the variation of the mechanical and thermal properties of the polymer gas system at elevated pressure s.