Stretching Rubber: Neo-Hookean Elasticity

This sculpture depicts the energy required to deform an elastomer in any way.

The low-point represents unstretched rubber, which holds no stretch energy. All other points represent more interesting stretchings of rubber. You'll find a path drawn on the surface for the common tensile test, a test that stretches a long strip of rubber by gripping it at both ends. You'll also find the equibiaxial test, a test where a disk of rubber is stretched into a larger disk. Every point on the surface of the sculpture represents some uniform deformation. As you stretch a piece of rubber its state sweeps out a path on the sculpture's surface.

You'll have fun considering a possible deformation then tracing the path it follows along the energy surface.