Viscoelastic fracture : An expository treatment of polymer failure

Abstract

Fracture in viscoelastic materials is discussed here as an extension of elastic fracture. Using continuum theory, three approaches are treated in detail, including energy failure surfaces and cumulative damage. Typical experimental work is reported to demonstrate its impact on the theories; however much more experimental work was omitted than was included. The attempt and purpose was to discuss in detail the fundamentals of the subject, and then subsequently build upon that with samplings of experimental results. The concluding section on the classical works dealing with stress analysis of crack geometries is for the purpose of comparison and unification. How these analyses relate to the energy theories is the basis of comparison. (Author)