Author(s)

B. Sensale & G.J. Creus

Abstract

Boundary elements analysis of viscoelastic fracture B. Sensale, G.J. Creus CEMA COM/Cf GEC/f^OMEC, Federof University of Rio Grande do Sul, 90210 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil ABSTRACT A numerical procedure based on the Boundary Elements Method and Schapery's formulation is proposed to determine cracks critical condition in viscoelastic structures. INTRODUCTION The increasing use of polymeric materials (plain or reinforced with fibers as in composite materials) as structural elements justifies the desire for a better understanding of their mechanical behavior, including fracture properties. Polymers are usually modeled as linear viscoelastic materials (Creus [ 1 ],Schapery [2]). This approximation is usually valid for the analysis of mechanical behavior under working stresses. In stress concentration areas as notches or cracks, the behavior seems to be highly nonlinear, but not well established models exist for thes

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