Abstract
The use of fracture mechanics concepts to specify and characterise structural polymers remains relatively undeveloped. This is at least partly because it is impossible to attribute a unique ‘fracture toughness’ to materials which respond in such a complex way to temperature, environment, load history and duration of loading. When polymer components fracture, it is usually after a long period of slow crack growth, either under static or cyclically varying load. The loading conditions which ultimately precipitate fracture may, therefore, be of much less practical importance than those during the preceding months or years of steady crack growth.
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References
Williams, J.G. (1987) Fracture Mechanics of Polymers,Ellis Horwood (London).
Leevers, P.S. & Williams, J.G. (1985) Material and Geometry Effects on Crack Shape in Double Torsion Testing. Journal of Materials Science 20, 77–84.
Zhou, Z. and Brown, N. (1996) Polymer Testing 15, 549–558.
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© 1999 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Leevers, P.S. (1999). Slow Crack Growth and Fracture: Measurement Techniques. In: Swallowe, G.M. (eds) Mechanical Properties and Testing of Polymers. Polymer Science and Technology Series, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9231-4_45
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9231-4_45
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
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