The determination of J(IC) for polyethylene pipe using non-standard arc-shaped specimen

In this paper, a test method for polyethylene pipe material is given. The f easibility of this test method using a non-standard specimen design is veri fied by three-point bending. Moreover, using three kinds of non-standard ar e-shaped specimens, the J(1C) values of polyethylene pipe material are calc ulated employing finite element analysis and experimental method. It is sho wn that the test method proposed is feasible for testing polyethylene pipe material using non-standard are-shaped specimens and non-standard are-shape d tension specimens with X/W = 0.5, however, tests with non-standard cc-sha ped tension specimens with X/W = 0 appear to produce unreliable results com pared to the other two nun-standard specimens. O 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.