Modeling the combined effects of temperature and frequency on fatigue crack growth of chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC)

For application of linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) to polymers, it is necessary to recognize potential pitfalls caused by their viscoelastic behavior, i.e., stress–strain dependence on time (or frequency) and temperature. The fatigue crack propagation (FCP) behavior of most polymers is sensitive to test variables, such as cyclic frequency and temperature. In this study, the fatigue crack growth data obtained from chlorinated poly(vinyl chloride) (CPVC). SEN specimens at temperatures ranging from 23 to 70 °C and frequencies ranging from 0.1 to 10 Hz are used to determine the parameters of a model based on the stress intensity factor based Arrhenius equation and activation energy. Predicted values from the model are in good agreement with experimental results.