The application of the essential work of fracture methodology to the plane strain fracture of ABS 3-point bend specimens

P. Luna, C. Bernal, A. Cisilino, P. Frontini, B. Cotterell, Y. W. Mai

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

48 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The applicability of the EWF methodology to 3-point bend (SEB) specimens under conditions other than plane stress has been assessed experimentally. Different fracture conditions, pure plane strain and plane strain/plane stress transition, were obtained by varying the specimen thickness and testing temperature (20 and 80 °C). Post-mortem fracture surfaces appeared always completely stress-whitened, indicating ductile fracture. The load-line displacement plots are similar over a well-defined range of ligament lengths for which the application of the EWF methodology was in principle possible. Nevertheless, in experiments conducted at room temperature, crack growth was observed to initiate before maximum load and complete ligament yielding. This behaviour was confirmed through plastic collapse analyses. A critical ligament length was found, over which the total specific work of fracture was dominated by edge effects. Below this critical ligament length, EWF methodology was still applicable and it was possible to extrapolate reliable wIe values.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1145-1150
Number of pages6
JournalPolymer
Volume44
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 17 Jan 2003
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • ABS
  • Essential work of fracture applicability
  • Plane stress-plane strain regime

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Organic Chemistry
  • Polymers and Plastics
  • Materials Chemistry

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