Multi-mechanism damage-plasticity model for semi-crystalline polymer: Creep damage of notched specimen of PA6

Research highlights y of mechanical and damage behaviour of semi-crystalline polymer (PA6). ▶ Generalize a multimechanism model to account for mechanical damage behaviour of PA6. ▶ Predict the overall behaviour as well as the local behaviour. ▶ Reproduce the location of the maximum damage in a structure (finite element method). ▶ Lifetime prediction of PA6 components (pressure vessel, pipes) under creep loading. lti-mechanism model devoted to the semi-crystalline polymers proposed in the recent study (Regrain et al. [1]) is generalized in this work to account for mechanical damage behaviour. To assess model reliability, finite element simulations of notched specimens subjected to creep behaviour were performed and compared successfully to experiments in terms of creep notch opening displacement. The model is able to reproduce the location of the maximum damage in a structure. This is a key information for the lifetime prediction of engineering components made of semi-crystalline polymers such as pressure vessel or pipes subjected to creep loading.