Basic mechanical and fatigue properties of rubber materials and components for railway vehicles: A literature survey

Rubber material is widely used in railway vehicles due to its superior damping performance. The testing methods, fatigue, and aging theories of rubber materials are of great significance to improve the design, manufacture, and application of rubber components for railway vehicles. This work systematically introduces the constitutive theory, mechanical testing standards, and testing methods of rubber materials. Then, the aging mechanism is described and the research progress of rubber fatigue properties is reviewed from the perspectives of fatigue crack initiation and fatigue crack propagation. Moreover, the reinforcement methods of rubber materials are presented. Finally, according to the working conditions of rubber components in railway vehicle, the technical difficulties and future research trends of fatigue characteristics analysis of rubber materials and components are pointed out.