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A model of fatigue crack growth in polymers

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Abstract

A model of fatigue crack growth is proposed based on a line plastic zone analysis. It is assumed that the effect of cycling is to reduce the craze stress to some proportion of the original value depending on the degree of unloading. Successive loadings result in growth of the craze with a corresponding increase in crack opening displacement. At some critical value of this displacement, crack growth occurs and the rate of growth is related to the applied stress intensity factor and the critical static value. The results of the model are applied to data on several polymers and a good description of growth rate, mean stress and frequency effects is given. Finally, some fatigue lives are predicted.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, UK

    J. G. Williams

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  1. J. G. Williams
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Williams, J.G. A model of fatigue crack growth in polymers. J Mater Sci 12, 2525–2533 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00553940

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00553940

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