Experimental investigation of low cycle fatigue of metallized polyethylene terephthalate films

Conclusion The destruction of the coating of a loaded metallized film is a process that includes the stages of formation of point defects, formation and development of a network of cracks. In proportion to the increase of the load or of the number of load cycles the density of the network of cracks increases. When an element of the network has attained the critical dimension, crumbling ceases. Measurement of the light transmission is an effective method of investigating the damage to metallized films, even if they are opaque in the undamaged state.Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, No. 6, pp. 787–795, November, 1992.