Fatigue crack propagation mechanisms in poly(methyl methacrylate) by in situ observation with a scanning laser microscope

Crack propagation tests were performed on an amorphous polymer, poly(methyl methacrylate), to investigate fatigue crack propagation mechanisms. A scanning laser microscope with a newly developed tensile testing machine was used to observe in situ crack propagation in compact‐type specimens. A crack usually propagated within the craze located at the crack tip under both static and cyclic loading conditions. When a crack stably propagated into the craze under static loading conditions, bright bands composed of the broken craze were observed at the edges along the crack wakes. However, there were successive ridges and valleys in place of bright bands along the crack wakes under cyclic loading conditions. When stable fatigue cracks were propagated at the loading half‐cycle in each cycle, new craze fragments appeared that were similar to the bright bands under static loading. However, the thickness of these fragments decreased in the following loading cycle, and a new valley was formed. This suggested that the valleys were formed by the contact between the fracture surfaces near the crack tip during unloading. Fatigue crack propagation is thought to be due to fibrils weakened by crack closure between fracture surfaces. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 3103–3113, 2001     

Mechanisms and micromechanics of fatigue crack propagation in glassy thermoplastics

An iterative approach is used to estimate, from interference optics measurements, the variation of refractive index and, hence, extension ratio along the length of a craze at the tip of a fatigue crack. The finite element method is used to compute craze surface stress distributions which are found to be similar to those obtained for static loading. High extension ratios, in the range 6 to 8 for retarded fatigue crack growth in poly(vinylchloride), are attained in the craze fibrils at the crack tip before crack jump occurs. The craze thickens primarily by surface drawing during the early stages of its growth but in the later stages the fibril creep mechanism predominates. The critical fibril extension ratio is not reached in a single cycle, as in normal fatigue crack propagation, and crack jump does not occur until, typically, after several hundreds of cycles during which the fibrils accumulate considerable damage.Presented in part at the 7th Int. Conference Deformation, Yield and Fracture of Polymers, Cambridge, UK, 11–14 April 1988.     

The effects of annealing on fatigue crack propagation in polyethylene

Fatigue crack propagation tests on annealed and quenched medium-density polyethylene showed the annealed specimens to have much lower resistance to crack initiation and subsequent propagation. Although the same fracture mechanism, in which the brittle crack gradually becomes more ductile, prevailed in both cases, the voided and fibrillated crack tip root craze in the annealed material was much weaker that the nonfibrillated quenched root craze. Microstructural analyses indicate that the annealed material had separate crystallite populations, whereas the quenched material had a more homogeneous morphology. The highest melting fraction of the annealed material was composed of lamellae that were about 270 Å thick, and the quenched lamellae were estimated to be 160 Å thick. The reduced fatigue crack propagation resistance of the annealed material was suggested to be a result of a lower concentration of tie molecules and its reduced damping capability, compared to the quenched material. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Effects of humidity on environmental stress cracking behavior in poly(methyl methacrylate)

Environmental stress cracking (ESC) in poly(methyl methacrylate) under different humidity conditions has been investigated. Constant stress‐intensity factor (K) ring‐type specimens were prepared, and all specimens were equilibrated at five different humidity conditions for about two years. ESC tests were carried out under the same humidity as specimens had been stored. Acoustic emission (AE) signals during ESC tests were also measured to examine the crack‐growth behavior. The threshold K value (K_th) tended to increase with increasing humidity. At a relative humidity (RH) of 11%, crack growth occurred gradually until 40 ks under a K value of 0.70 MPam^1/2, and then the crack‐growth rate began to increase and AE events were observed. A laser microscopic observation indicated that the crack extended by the coalescence between a main crack and a microcrack ahead of the main crack tip. AE signals generated are considered to be associated with the coalescence. At 98% RH, an incubation period where no crack growth was observed existed under a K value of 0.94 MPam^1/2, but the crack began to grow suddenly after that incubation period. This suggests that the craze at the crack tip may become weaker with increasing loading time under high humidity. Although the crack‐growth rate at 98% RH was higher than that at 11% RH, no AE events were observed. This suggests that the crack extended stably in the craze at a crack tip, and sorbed water may make the craze growth easy. All the results suggest that two different ESC mechanisms are activated depending on sorbed water that are varied by humidity. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 1–9, 2002     

Fatigue crack propagation in high-density polyethylene

An investigation of the influence of crystalline microstructure on fatigue crack propagation (FCP) in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is reported. Various thermal histories were used to generate samples with the same crystallinity and supermolecular structure for three different molecular weight HDPEs. Estimation of tie chain densities were obtained from measurements of brittle fracture stress and predicted from the estimated chain dimensions of the polymers using the modified version of the approach originally taken by Huang and Brown. A significant decrease in FCP resistance and a clear transition to a more brittle fracture surface was observed with decreasing molecular weight. Detailed studies of damaged zones preceding the growing crack show a transition to a more highly branched crack structure for those samples associated with a higher FCP resistance. These results strongly suggest that the branched damaged zone structure improves the FCP resistance by enlarging and blunting the crack tip and, therefore, consuming more energy during the fatigue crack propagation. Additional efforts were made to prepare samples with the same crystallinity and tie chain density, but different supermolecular structure. However, in contrast to reports in the literature, no significant difference in FCP resistance was observed for specimens with different average spherulite sizes. This is probably because the propagating crack front is preceded by a significant zone of plastic deformation and is not expected to directly encounter the spherulites.     

Mechanism of fracture in glassy polymers. III. Direct observation of the craze ahead of the propagating crack in poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene

Observation of optical interference fringes at the tip of a crack in a glassy polymer allows the construction of the configurations of the crack tip and the craze that precedes it. The craze extends 25 μ beyond the crack tip in poly(methyl methacrylate) and 550 μ beyond the tip in the polystyrene studied. The craze at the crack tip in PMMA may be seen to deform elastically as much as 100% under stress before crack propagation recommences. Such deformation is estimated to account for as much as 40% of the nominal Griffith energy of crack propagation.     

Crack growth in a pipe grade PVC material under static and cyclic loading conditions

The creep crack growth (CCG) and the fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior of a commercial pipe grade PVC material was studied based on a linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) methodology. The FCG tests were performed under sinusoidal load control at a frequency of 5 Hz and at R-ratios (F_min/F_max) of 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5; the test temperatures were 23°C and 60°C. The creep crack growth behavior (corresponding to R = 1) was studied at a test temperature of 60°C. The results of the FCG tests revealed that fatigue crack propagation is primarily controlled by the cyclic component of the crack tip stress field rather than by the mean stress level. Comparing FCG and CCG data in terms of K_Imax and K_I, respectively, also confirmed the deteriorating effect of the fatigue loading on the crack growth resistance. Fracture surface investigations for both fatigue and static loading were performed to gain insight into the micromechanisms of crack advance.     

Micromechanics of fatigue crack propagation in glassy thermoplastics

By the aid of the optical interference method the size of the craze zone at the crack tip has been measured during fatigue crack propagation (FCP) in two glassy thermoplastics thus giving a basis to re-examine proposed models. In contrast to previous assumptions it has been found, that in PMMA of high molecular weight crack propagation occurs only during a short interval of the loading cycle when the fibrils are stretched most severely and it is not limited by crack tip blunting; between the dimensions of the craze zone and the crack advance per cycle which is also reflected by markings on the fracture surface no simple correlation has been found. In PVC first the craze grows continuously during many loading cycles up to its final size and then the crack propagates by a jump separating the craze zone only partly. Thus at all stress intensity levels investigated the length of the final craze zone has been found to be distinctly larger than the jump spacing on the fracture surface. By aid of SEM-photography it is shown that in PVC during FCP cracking occurs by separation of fibrils instead of void coalescence.     

Crack propagation in poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide), polystyrene,and their blends

Cracks have been propagated in double-cantilever beam specimens of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide), polystyrene, and their blends. The plane-strain crack propagation energy varies with crack speed, distance from crack arrest following an instability, molecular weight, and blend composition. Auxiliary measurements of moduli, yield properties, and craze initiation resistances at crack tips were carried out together with microscopic studies of the crack-tip plastic zone. Fracture instabilities are rationalized in terms of the interplay of shear deformation with crazing in the crack-tip plastic zone. Negative deviations from ideal behavior in the crack propagation resistance of the blends are rationalized in terms of the concurrent negative deviation in crazing resistance which in turn is thought to be related to positive deviations in shear resistance and thus to negative volumes and heats of mixing.     

Influence of the β‐crystalline phase on the mechanical properties of unfilled and calcium carbonate‐filled polypropylene: Ductile cracking and impact behavior

The β‐crystalline form of isotactic poly(propylene) (PP) has been long recognized to have a greater mechanical absorption capacity than the α‐crystalline form. This is of major importance for improving impact properties and crack resistance of injection‐molding parts. Unfilled PP samples together with calcium carbonate‐filled PP samples having various β/α‐phase ratios, with nearly constant morphological parameters, have been investigated from the standpoint of ductile crack propagation and impact behavior. The presence of the β‐crystalline phase turned out to improve both properties. The β spherulites are notably more prone to craze initiation than α spherulites that display a propensity for cracking. Subsequent crack propagation appears to be faster in the latter ones. The plastic zone ahead from the crack tip broadens, and the specific plastic energy increases with increasing β‐phase content. The lower elastic limit of the β phase is likely to promote the early crazing. However, the suspected higher density of tie molecules in β spherulites provides more numerous and stiffer microfibrils. The impact strength of PP is also improved by the presence of β crystals as a result of greater energy‐absorption capabilities. However, filled samples turned out insensitive to the β phase. A discussion is made about the origins of the β‐phase‐induced improvement of the mechanical properties. The possible role of the β → α transition is also explained. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 31–42, 2002     

Nonequilibrium statistical theory of damage and fracture for glassy polymers, 1. The statistical distribution and evolution of microcracks in glassy polymers

The purpose of this paper is to construct a unified theoretical framework to link micro to macro-mechanical properties of glassy polymers. Starting from a model of microcrack propagation in craze on a mesoscale, the kinetic process of microcrack propagation resulting from fibril breakdown in the crack tip zone is mathematically formulated by a combination of fracture mechanics and fracture kinetics. A microcrack evolution equation involving both the geometric structure parameters of craze and the meso-mechanical quantities is obtained. After solving this evolution equation, a statistical distribution function of microcrack size which evolves with time and the moment generating function of microcrack size are derived. Any-order averaged damage functions can be therefore deduced. Specifically, the analytical expressions of the first-order averaged damage function and its damage rate are presented, which correspond to a similar definition of damage mechanics.     

Mapping the damaged zone around the crack tip in high density polyethylene with synchrotron microfocus small angle X-ray scattering technique

<正>The structural changes around a crack tip in a high density polyethylene were investigated by means of scanning synchrotron microfocus small-angle X-ray scattering technique.The scattering data confirm the process of craze structure development near a crack tip based on the evolution of voids.In addition,it was found that the main stress in the plastic zone near a crack tip exhibited a gradient distribution with respect to its strength and direction.The whole damaged area showed a strain distribution indicating a flow behavior toward the crack tip.     

Morphological study of fatigue-induced damage in isotactic polypropylene

This article reports initial results of an investigation whose aim is to characterize fatigue damage induced in semicrystalline polymers subjected to uniaxial high cycle fatigue. Herein we report results obtained from fatiguing tensile bars of high molecular weight compression-molded alpha-phase iPP. Samples were fatigued for up to one million cycles at a frequency of 2 Hz. During fatigue, in situ measurements of dynamic mechanical response and energy densities were recorded. Postmortem morphological studies were also conducted using SEM of etched surfaces and TOM. The results show that damage formation occurs in a regularly spaced array of crazes. This damage, its evolution, and energetics are discussed as they relate to the overall fatigue life of the material. A methodology to isolate the energy consumption for the formation of a single craze is given. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 2751–2760, 1998     

Abnormality in using cyclic fatigue for ranking static fatigue induced slow crack growth behavior of polyethylene pipe grade resins

Slow crack growth behavior in polyethylene pipe grade resins were studied using both static fatigue (stress-rupture) and cyclic fatigue tests. This was done to better understand the applicability of cyclic fatigue in the prediction of slow crack growth ranking determined from the static fatigue test. In all polyethylene pipe grade resins tested at 80 °C, reduced crack growth failure times were exhibited when the cyclic fatigue test was employed. However, when applied to rank the resins through their slow crack failure times, the cyclic fatigue results did not always confirm those obtained from the static fatigue test. That is, in some cases, a resin with higher slow crack resistance ranking (longer failure times) than another resin in static fatigue exhibited lower ranking (shorter failure times) in the cyclic fatigue test. This abnormality of reversal in ranking is not a general observation but does occur. Based on the data obtained so far, when resins with smaller differences between static fatigue and cyclic fatigue slow crack growth failure times are compared with those resins having larger differences, the chances of correctly predicting the ranking obtained from static fatigue using cyclic fatigue tend to decrease. Hence, it is suggested that one needs to practice caution when using cyclic fatigue to predict the static fatigue ranking of resins for slow cracking resistance. Some insight into the cause of such abnormality is discussed with reference to creep-fatigue interactions.     

Discussion of craze formation and growth in amorphous polymers in terms of the multiplicity of glass transition at low temperatures

A craze, the typical deformation zone in an amorphous polymer, can be divided into a precraze and a proper craze. A better understanding of the two corresponding formation processes is possible in terms of glass transition multiplicity.The precraze is associated with the molecular mobility in the confined flow zone, which is part of the main transition. The proper craze corresponds to the mobility in the flow transition zone (terminal zone for shear). A negative pressure generated by nonuniaxial stress is considered to be important for the maintainance of the molecular mobility in these zones belowT _g . The behavior of the zones at negative pressure and low temperatures Tg is considered using a pressure-temperature diagram. The fibril structure of crazes is discussed by a defect diffusion model for the proper glass transition; it is correlated with the sequential physical aging of the corresponding frozen structural defects. Typical mode lengths of the molecular mobilities in the different zones are compared with typical craze parameters. The structure of the craze material is considered to result from confined flow processes which cannot percolate because in the main transition the flow is confined by entanglements, and in the flow transition zone the flow is stopped by releasing the negative pressure due to crack propagation.     

Plane-strain fracture energy instability and mixed mode crack propagation in polycarbonate at room temperature

A study of crack propagation in double cantilever beam specimens of polycarbonate has revealed a large velocity-dependent instability in the plane-strain fracture energy G_Ic. At a crack velocity of 10^?2 in./min, G_Ic accords with published values obtained from tensile studies of precracked specimens. Crack propagation in doubly grooved double cantilever beam specimens is unstable at higher velocities. The G_Ic's during crack jumping and at crack arrest are estimated to be 0.2 and 2%, respectively, of the low crack speed value, based on the amounts of crazing produced at the various crack speeds. Evidence of plane-strain shear deformation at the low speed crack tip is presented. The G_Ic instability is suggested to arise from differences in the kinetics of shear failure and craze breakdown.     

Correlation of molecular parameters,strain hardening modulus and cyclic fatigue test performances of polyethylene materials for pressure pipe applications

Currently, several testing methods are under development to understand the resistance of polyethylene pipe materials to slow crack growth over comparably short time periods without using aggressive chemicals to accelerate the time to brittle failure. Strain hardening and crack round bar tests have recently been developed and published as ISO testing methods. However, a better understanding of these testing methods is still required with respect to the molecular parameters of the materials. Comparative studies with existing slow crack growth testing methods such as the notched pipe test are of significant interest to the industry. This study discusses correlations of molecular weight, molecular weight distribution, short chain branching and rheological properties of different polyethylene materials with their slow rack growth resistances obtained from the strain hardening and crack round bar tests and their correlations with notched pipe tests.     

Analysis of Molecular and Morphological Effects on Slow Crack Growth in Modern PE Pipe Grades by Cyclic Fracture Mechanics Tests

Summary: Three different polyethylene (PE) pipe grades as well as three different lots of one of the grades were investigated by cyclic tests with cracked round bar (CRB) specimens, concerning resistance to slow crack growth. To enhance the test sensibility and proof its applicability for a quick quality assurance method various molecular and morphological characterizations on compression molded plates were carried out, with special attention on the influence of molecular and morphological differences, as well as lot to lot variations on the resistance to slow crack growth. The cyclic CRB tests allowed a ranking of the different pipe grades and lots with short testing times per material and testing machine, as a function of failure time as well as of crack initiation time with further reduction of testing time of about 50%. Moreover the ranking corresponded to the expectations based on the molecular and morphological properties of the materials, where only minor changes in the molecular mass distribution and the co-monomer concentration in case of lot to lot variations were proofed reliably.     

Fatigue as monitored by the torsion pendulum

This paper describes the use of a new air-bearing torsion pendulum as a nondestructive monitor of torsional fatigue in epoxy resin castings. Results indicate that both G′ and tan δ undergo significant changes as fatigue is induced in the specimen. In those specimens that have not been sufficiently post-cured, cyclic fatiguing induces further crosslinking. However, this is accompanied by a competing reaction of crack formation and propagation leading ultimately to failure.     

Automated monitoring of the crack propagation in mode I testing of thermoplastic composites by means of digital image correlation

One of the main challenges of the mode I double cantilever beam (DCB) test is the simultaneous determination of the applied load and displacement with the developing delamination length. The present work addresses this issue by side-view tracking the crack propagation by means of digital image correlation (DIC). Two different reduction methods were developed to determine the crack length from the DIC data. On the one hand, the crack tip position was defined by the high strain concentration in the immediate vicinity of the crack tip, and on the other hand, by crack tip opening displacement (CTOD). The data obtained enabled the calculation of the energy release rate of carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic specimens with either run-arrest or stable crack extension. For reasons of comparability, top surface analysis (TSA), as recently reported, was also carried out. Following this approach, the crack propagation was tracked applying DIC to the top specimen surface. The methods developed showed a good correlation with both the standardised procedure and TSA. It was shown that DIC can be used as an alternative to the conventional optical measuring tools to follow the crack propagation in the mode I DCB test.