Strain mode-dependent weighting functions in hyperelasticity accounting for verification, validation, and stability of material parameters

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Optimized material parameters obtained from parameter identification for verification wrt a certain loading scenario are amenable to two deficiencies: Firstly, they may lack a general validity for different loading scenarios. Secondly, they may be prone to instability, such that a small perturbation of experimental data may ensue a large perturbation for the material parameters. This paper presents a framework for extension of hyperelastic models for rubber-like materials accounting for both deficiencies. To this end, an additive decomposition of the strain energy function is assumed into a sum of weighted strain mode related quantities. We propose a practical guide for model development accounting for the criteria of verification, validation and stability by means of the strain mode-dependent weighting functions and techniques of model reduction. The approach is successfully applied for 13 hyperelastic models with regard to the classical experimental data on vulcanized rubber published by Treloar (Trans Faraday Soc 40:59–70, 1944), showing both excellent fitting capabilties and stable material parameters.</jats:p>