UC San Diego

Cavitation in soft solid is a phenomenon that cavity in an elastomer can expand rapidly when inner pressure reaches a critical value. Most of previous study focus on expansion of spherical void within a soft solid. In this thesis, we consider the mechanical response of non-spherical cavity to inner pressure. First, ellipsoidal cavitation with various geometries from oblate one to prolate one is studied. It shows that prolate cavity needs higher asymptotic pressure than oblate one and spherical one has intermediate asymptotic pressure. Then needle induced tubular cavitation is studied from several aspects. We found needle retraction will decrease the critical pressure, and surface tension will increase the critical pressure. Also, localized bulging of tubular cavity happens at the defect when surface tension is large enough. We also study the debonding between soft solid and rigid needle. It is fast for elastomer and needle to debond when pressure is close to the critical pressure, but if volume of cavity is properly controlled, the debonding can grow gradually.