INFLATION OF HYPERELASTIC CYLINDRICAL MEMBRANES AS APPLIED TO BLOW MOLDING .1. AXISYMMETRICAL CASE

The free and confined axisymmetric inflation of a cylindrical membrane is considered in this study. The problem is formulated to include sin gle and multiple contacts between the cylinder and the surrounding sol id boundary. The material is assumed to obey the Mooney-Rivlin constit utive equation. Unlike various finite element based discretization app roaches, the present formulation is based on a Set of ordinary differe ntial equations governing the deformation field. The resulting two-poi nt-boundary-value problem is solved using the finite element method. C omparison between theory and experiment leads to good agreement. Stick condition upon contact is assumed. Examples of complex geometries inc luding a blow-moulded bottle are treated. An example of simultaneous s tretch and inflation is also given.