Analysis of Variable Stiffness Magnetorheological Elastomer Employing Particle Method and FEM

Magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) are composed of silicone and iron powder. This material possesses both ferromagnetic and viscoelastic properties. The shape and the stiffness of the MREs are changed due to the magnetic field. Therefore, it is expected to be used for an artificial muscle or as a damping material. However, it is difficult to design, because ferromagnetic and viscoelastic properties greatly change according to the ratio of the iron powder and the strength of the magnetic field. This paper presents a numerical method for MRE analyses by coupling a particle method with a finite-element method.