A SIMPLE METHOD FOR J-R CURVE DETERMINATION IN ABS POLYMERS

The objective of this paper is to investigate the applicability of a v ery simple new method, based on load separation criterion, developed f or evaluating J-R curves in steels, when applied to ABS polymers. This technique proposes the testing of a single precracked specimen and a single blunt notched specimen. The latter provides a method to detect the plastic displacement range during crack tip blunting in which the assumption of load separation criterion in the precracked specimen is valid, and also allows determination of J(IC) independently of J-R cur ve determination. The deformation material function is assumed to be a Ramberg-Osgood type law deformation function which leads to a very ea sy procedure to determine J-R curves. The J-R curve resulting from thi s new method is compared with one resulting from a traditional multipl e specimen J-R curve determination method. Both results are in good ag reement.