Abstract

From experimental results, it is found that the stress‐strain relationship of cord‐reinforced rubber (CRR) under off‐axis tension consists of several stages. In one of them, the stress either remains constant or increases slightly with an increase in strain. Since this phenomenon is similar to the yielding of mild steel, it is called the quasi‐yield phenomenon. Further observations with enhanced radiography indicate that the quasi‐yield phenomenon in CRR stems from the loosening of twisted filament bundles in the cords.