Cyclic thermo-viscoplasticity of high density polyethylene

Observations are reported in uniaxial cyclic tensile tests (loading–unloading with various maximum strains) on high density polyethylene at temperatures ranging from room temperature up to 90 °C. It is demonstrated that the maximum stress per cycle and an apparent residual strain (measured at the instant when the tensile force vanishes under retraction) strongly decrease with temperature. The latter seems unexpected as the interval of temperatures covers the α-relaxation temperature, which is conventionally associated with activation of additional mechanisms for inelastic flow. A model is developed that captures the decrease in residual strain with temperature. Adjustable parameters in the stress–strain relations are found by fitting the experimental data. The effects of temperature and maximum strain per cycle on residual strains are studied numerically.