Abstract
The kinetics and mechanism of slow crack growth in fatigue and creep of high density polyethylene were studied. The relationship between fatigue and creep was examined by varying the R-ratio (the minimum/maximum loads in the fatigue loading cycle) in the tensile mode such that loading ranged from mainly dynamic (R = 0.1) to static (R = 1.0, creep test). The stepwise crack propagation mechanism characteristic of long-term failures in polyethylene was observed for all loading conditions studied. Fatigue fracture kinetics allowed for extrapolation to the case of creep failure, which suggested that short-term fatigue testing can be used to predict long-term creep fracture properties. The size of the craze damage zone ahead of the arrested crack tip was controlled only by the mean stress, however the lifetime of the zone was determined by both the maximum stress and the mean stress. Crack growth rate was related to the maximum stress and the mean stress by a power law relationship, which described crack growth over the entire range of loading conditions studied.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
N. Brown and X. Lu, in Proceedings of the 12th Plastic Fuel Gas Pipe Symposium, Boston, MA, 1991, p. 128.
A. Shah, E. V. Stepanov, G. Capaccio, A. Hiltner and E. Baer, J. Polym. Sci: Part B: Polym. Phys. 36(1998) 2355.
A. Shah, E. V. Stepanov, M. Klein, A. Hiltner and E. Baer, J. Mater. Sci. 33(1998) 3313.
Idem., in 1997 Symposium on Plastic Piping Systems for Gas Distribution, Orlando, FL, 1997, p. 235.
A. Shah, E. V. Stepanov, A. Hiltner, E. Baer and M. Klein, Int. J. Fracture 84(1997) 159.
A. Shah, E. V. Stepanov, A. Hiltner, E. Baer and A. Moet, in SPE Conference Proceedings/54th ANTEC'96, Vol. 3, Indianapolis, IN, 1996, p. 3289.
R. W. Hertzberg and J. A. Manson, "Fatigue of Engineering Plastics" (Academic Press, New York, 1980).
J. A. Sauer and M. Hara, "Advances in Polymer Science," Vol. 91/92 (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1990) p. 69.
J. C. Radon, Int. J. Fracture 16(1980) 533.
C. B. Bucknall and P. Dumpleton, Polym. Eng. Sci. 25(1985) 313.
Y. Zhou and N. Brown, ibid. 33(1993) 1421.
M. D. Skibo, R. W. Hertzberg, J. A. Manson and S. L. Kim, J. Mater. Sci. 12(1977) 531.
S. Arad, J. C. Radon and L. E. Culver, J. Mech. Eng. Sci. 13(1971) 75.
B. Mukherjee and D. J. Burns, Experimental Mechanics 11(1971) 433.
S. A. Sutton, Eng. Fract. Mech. 6(1974) 587.
Y. M. Mai and J. G. Williams, J. Mater. Sci. 14(1979) 1933.
N. J. Mills and N. Walker, Polymer 17(1976) 335.
J. A. Manson and R. W. Hertzberg, CRC Crit. Rev. Macromol. Sci. 1(1973) 433.
K. Yamada and M. Suzuki, Kobunshi Kagaku 30(1973) 206.
Y. Q. Zhou and N. Brown, J. Mater. Sci. 24(1989) 1458.
Idem., J. Polym. Sci: Part B: Polym. Phys. 30(1992) 477.
F. Van der Grinten and P. W. M. Wichers schreur, Plast. Rub. Composites Proc. Appl. 25(1996) 294.
Y. Zhou, X. Lu and N. Brown, Polym. Eng. Sci. 31(1991) 711.
H. Nishimura, A. Nakashiba, M. Nakakura and K. Sasai, ibid. 33(1993) 895.
E. Showaib and A. Moet, J. Mater. Sci. 28(1993) 3617.
X. Lu, R. Qian and N. Brown, ibid. 26(1991) 881.
L. Konczol, M. G. Schinker and W. Doll, ibid. 19(1984) 1605.
D. S. Dugdale, J. Mech. Phys. Solids 8(1960) 100.
J. R. Rice, in "Fracture," Vol. 2, edited by H. Liebowitz (Academic Press, New York, 1968) p. 191.
N. Brown and X. Lu, Polymer 36(1995) 543.
Idem., Int. J. Fracture 69(1995) 371.
P. A. O'connell, M. J. Bonner, R. A. Duckett and I. M. Ward, Polymer 36(1995) 2355.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Parsons, M., Stepanov, E.V., Hiltner, A. et al. Correlation of stepwise fatigue and creep slow crack growth in high density polyethylene. Journal of Materials Science 34, 3315–3326 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004616728535
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004616728535