Polymer breakdown and fatigue

Problems of the mechanical breakdown of polymer materials are discussed on the basis of kinetic considerations on such breakdown, viewed as a thermofluctuation-induced process of an accumulation of breaks in interatomic bonds (either break or damage). The present state of this problem is analyzed, both for static and for cyclic loads (fatigue). Some approaches for developing a theory of breakdown are reviewed. Theories related to the accumulation of damage in the volume of the sample receive particular attention. Recent studies on fatigue in polymer materials are listed.Paper presented at the 2nd All-Union Conference on Polymer Mechanics, Riga, November 10–12, 1971.A. I. Ioffe Physicotechnical Institute, Academy of Sciences of the SSSR, Leningrad. Institute of Polymer Mechanics, Academy of Sciences of the Latvian SSR, Riga. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 4, pp. 597–611, July–August, 1972.     

Behavior of rigid plastics under cyclic loading

Research progress on the dynamic fatigue of plastics is briefly reviewed. Attention is concentrated on the problems of damage accumulation and self-heating. The effect of various factors on the fatigue of plastics is considered. The possibility of predicting the cyclic life-time from the results of long-time static strength tests is examined. The prospects for the construction of a theory of fatigue strength in complex states of stress are weighed.Institute of Polymer Mechanics, Academy of Sciences of the Latvian SSR, Riga. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 97–107, January–February, 1969.     

Acoustic fatigue of polymer materials

An experimental investigation of the fatigue properties of filled rubber under acoustic loading is briefly discussed. It is shown that two processes take place in the material—hardening and softening. A corresponding mathematical model is proposed. The form of the Wöhler fatigue curve in logarithmic coordinates is almost linear for high-frequency cyclic loading and may be assumed linear in the calculations with a risk of not more than 1%.Mekhanika Polimerov, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 467–475, 1967     

Static fatigue of glass-reinforced plastics

Nonlinear damage accumulation rules are usually constructed on the basis of certain hypotheses derived from semiempirical considerations. A method is proposed for constructing an averaged nonlinear damage accumulation rule based on the direct utilization of the results of static fatigue tests on glass-reinforced plastic specimens. Numerical examples of the calculation of the static fatigue strength under repeat loading with a given strength criterion are presented.Sverdlovsk Branch of the Steklov Mathematical Institute, Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Institute of Polymer Mechanics, Academy of Sciences of the Latvian SSR, Riga. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 3, pp. 492–497, May–June, 1969.     

Fatigue strength of certain materials used in airframe construction

Conclusions The completed tests show that the fatigue strength of carbon-plastic is 2.5 times greater than that of glass-plastic. Consequently, it is best to use carbon-plastic with ED-20 epoxy resin filled with 4–5m glass microspheres for adhesive purposes in load-bearing components. This makes it possible to significantly reduce the weight of airframes and improve their service properties. It was established that, for the composite materials investigated, stiffness is lost during cyclic loading mainly as a result of damage accumulation; the loss in stiffness may serve as a criterion for evaluating the progress of fatigue fracture.Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, No. 3, pp. 451–455, May–June, 1980.     

Acoustic fatigue of polymer materials

Methods are proposed for experimentally estimating the temperature-time aging of a filled rubber and the degree of damage accumulation in high-frequency fatigue tests. A procedure for experimentally determining the energy dissipation function of a material from the specimen temperature kinetics is described. The results of an investigation of the fatigue properties of two series of filled rubbers at a vibration frequency of 20 kHz are presented. It is shown that the fatigue failure of the materials tested is thermal in character. No accumulation of mechanical damage in the material in the course of intense vibration could be detected.Institute of Polymer Mechanics, Academy of Sciences of the Latvian SSR, Riga. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 4, pp. 662–668, July–August, 1969.     

Creep and damage accumulation in orthotropic composites under cyclic loading

Experimental results and theoretical prediction of the response of glassfiber-reinforced polyester under quasi-static, static (creep), and cyclic (fatigue) loading are presented. The nonlinear strain component at static loading and the strain amplitude rate at cyclic off-axis loading of an orthotropic composite are shown to follow the associated flow rule with a single-parameter quadratic potential function. The influence of fatigue damage on deformation is considerable due to the reduction in the elastic modulus of the composite and is apparently negligible with respect to its effect on the parameters of the creep kernel.Presented at the 10th International Conference on the Mechanics of Composite Materials (Riga, April 20–23, 1998).Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 34, No. 4, pp. 447–460, July–August, 1998.     

Nonsteady-state damage accumulation processes in composite flanges under cyclic loads

We consider two typical flanges: for a powerplant casing and for the casing of suspensions with a sound-absorbing duct. We model the behavior of flanges under the action of cyclic external loads based on solution of the nonlinear axisymmetric problem of elasticity theory. In order to take into account fatigue fracture of the layers of the structure, we use maximum stress criteria, a tensor damage function, the rule of linear summation of damage, and reduction schemes for the deformation characteristics of the layers, describing different fracture mechanisms. We indicate the possible nature of the development of fracture zones in composite flanges. We have established the spare load-bearing capacity of the flanges after fracture begins.Report presented at the Tenth International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (Riga, April 20–23, 1998).Perm State Technical University, Russia. Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 33, No. 5, pp. 636–643, September–October, 1997.     

Investigation of the fatigue properties and susceptibility to damage of thin-walled polymer shells

The results of a study of the damage suffered by thin-walled polymer shells are evaluated on the basis of an analysis of the process of crack formation and the variation of the modulus of elasticity under cyclic deformation. The process of fatigue failure has been studied in relation to shells made of three groups of polymeric materials. It is shown that for the polymers investigated there are at least two different fatigue fracture mechanisms. Data on the crack growth kinetics are presented.Plastopolimer Research and Production Association, Leningrad; Lensovet Leningrad Technological Institute. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 6, pp. 1019–1026, November–December, 1971.     

Estimating the parameters of fatigue curve of a composite material

By using the method of maximum likelihood, the parameters of two versions of a mathematical model for fatigue damage accumulation in a laminate are estimated. The models, which are founded on the Markov chain theory, are very simple: they do not take into account the specific structural features of a composite and therefore cannot provide numerical coincidence with experimental fatigue test data, but they can be used for a nonlinear regression analysis of fatigue curves. A simple method is offered for approximately estimating model parameters, some of which characterize the distribution of the local static strength. By using such models, we can predict the relative changes in fatigue curves from known relative variations in the parameters of static strength and also predict the distribution function of fatigue life in program fatigue tests.Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 109–120, January–February, 2005.     

Endurance limit of polyethylene during cyclic loading under conditions of a plane stressed state

Conclusions The effect of the asymmetry of the loading cycle on the fatigue strength of HDPE subjected to biaxial tension has been studied. An increase in the acuteness of the cycle leads to an increase in the durability of the material. Under conditions of cyclic loading, the material became embrittled as the duration of the experiment was extended. The effect of various different ratios between the principal stresses on the fatigue strength of HDPE has been investigated. It has been shown that the form of the isochronous boundary curves depends on the duration of the experiment. It was established that the mechanism of HDPE fracture changes depended on the duration of the loading. The accumulation of defects, when an experiment was of average or longer duration, built up at a greater rate than would have been predicted by a linear rule for summation.M. I. Kalinin Leningrad Polytechnic Institute. The "Plastpolimer" Okhtinsk Scientific Manufacturing Association, Leningrad. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 1, pp. 35–40, January–February, 1977.     

Fatigue strength and structure changes of polyethylene-oxide films under static and cyclic loading

Conclusions The behavior of the PEO films under long-term loadings show certain special features reflected mainly in the unusual form of the fatigue curve and the presence of three types of creep curves. The most significant factors affecting the fatigue characteristics of the PEO films are the molecular mass and the degree of crystallinity — when these factors increase the fatigue resistance also usually increases. To evaluate suitability of PEO films for service it is promising to use the cyclic bending test. This loading mode characteristic of practice makes it possible to carry out tests at low strain levels and cumulate considerable damage. Examination by the x ray diffraction method showed that in cyclically bent PEO films not only the amorphous but also crystalline structures are damaged.Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 404–412, May–June, 1994.     

On the construction of a variant of the theory of fracture

A theory of long-time strength that takes into account the accumulation of damage in the material in different directions is used as a basis for obtaining isochronous fatigue strength curves in stress space for complex states of stress.Institute of Polymer Mechanics, Academy of Sciences of the Latvian SSR, Riga. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 4, pp. 648–653, July–August, 1970.     

Analysis of fracture surfaces in polymethyl methacrylate tested in bending with rotation

Typical fracture surfaces are examined for polymethyl methacrylate specimens subjected to multicycle fatigue testing in circular cantilever bending at T=20, 40, and 60°C. It is established that the fatigue life of smooth specimens is very closely correlated with the size of the diffuse fracture zone. The kinetics of damage accumulation with increase in the number of cycles are investigated by rapidly fracturing prefatigued specimens. The decisive role of diffuse fracture in the fatigue-fracture process is demonstrated. A method of estimating the mean main crack propagation velocity in circular bending is described.Institute of Polymer Mechanics, Academy of Sciences of the Latvian SSR, Riga. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 6, pp. 984–990, November–December, 1973.     

Fatigue performance of glass/polyester laminates and the monitoring of material degradation

Experiments are performed on glass/polyester composites under fatigue loading. The stiffness degradation is recorded as an indirect measure of material damage. The stiffness decrease rate is described by a power dependence on stress; this relationship allows the fatigue law to be derived. Stiffness-controlled fatigue curves are generated and presented in an S-N-diagram based on normalized stress (equivalent to strain). Such stiffness controlled fatigue curves can be used as a basis for design criteria for components.Presented at the 9th International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials, 17–20 October 1995, Riga, Latvia.Materials Department, Risø National Laboratory, Roskilde, Denmark. Published in Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 32–41, January–February, 1996.     

Fatigue strength at subzero temperature of films made of polymer mixtures based on thermoplastic polyurethane

Conclusions The investigations show that the flexing resistance of the films of thermoplastic polyurethane at the subzero temperatures can be increased several times by mixing polyurethane with rubber with a low glass transition temperature. As a result of the heterogeneity of the structure in the mixtures containing the optimum or almost optimum amount of rubber, cyclic bending is accompanied by the formation of a large number of microdefects but the conditions for formation of a macrocrack are less favorable, whilst in pure polyurethane the main crack can form and propagate in the presence of far less extensive volume damage. The design of the small-angle light diffractometer proposed in this work can be used successfully for examining fatigue damage in nonuniformly loaded specimens. The quality of the resultant mixtures can be inspected by measuring the integral optical properties or light scattering indicatrices.Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, No. 6, pp. 977–984, November–December, 1987.     

Concerning the mechanism of fracture of oriented glass-reinforced plastics in uniaxial compression

The mechanism of fracture of an oriented glass-reinforced plastic in uniaxial compression in various directions in the plane of the sheet is considered on the basis of experimental observations of the microstructure and data on the variation of the linear and volume strains with increasing load. It is shown that increases in load are accompanied by a steady increase in crack development and damage accumulation.Leningrad Structural Engineering Institute. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 2, pp. 238–242, March–April, 1971.     

Multicycle fatigue resistance of brittle polymers

Conclusion A model of multicycle fatigue of polymers based on the hypothesis of self-simulation of the failure process was proposed and a method of predicting the durability was elaborated in the present study. It was found that in low-temperature conditions of self-heating, the crack is the basic cause of fatigue failure. A cyclic durability equation was obtained in the form of a modified time summation criterion for the stressed state in the failure zone in the vicinity of the apex of a fatigue crack. It was shown that in the case of brittle failure in multicycle fatigue, the maximum principal stresses which arise in the failure zone, one order of magnitude smaller than the size of the fatigue crack, are the criterion of failure.Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, No. 4, pp. 633–638, July–August, 1990.     

Fatigue strength of glass-reinforced plastics (GRP) in shear in the plane of reinforcement

The results of an investigation of the fatigue strength of three grades of glass-reinforced plastic are described. It is shown that cyclic loading with gradually increasing stress amplitude can be used to determine the fatigue strength at a given ambient temperature and loading frequency.Institute of Polymer Mechanics, Academy of Sciences of the Latvian SSR, Riga. Translated from Mekhanika Polimerov, No. 5, pp. 928–931, September–October, 1975.     

Effect of stress ratio on the fatigue strength of organic plastics

Conclusions Experimental fatigue curves of a unidirectional organic plastic are obtained for a number of asymmetry factors and diagrams of the limiting cycle stresses are constructed for a load in the direction of the fibers and across the fibers, and for in-plane shear of a layer. The simplest methods of approximating the calculated diagrams are tested. It is shown that the method of layer-by-layer analysis of fatigue failure makes it possible to construct limiting-stress diagrams for a laminar oblique-ply composite with an accuracy acceptable for engineering calculations, proceeding from the same analysis as for an individual layer.Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, No. 3, pp. 421–429, May–June, 1991.