FRACTURE-TOUGHNESS OF ACRYLONITRILE-BUTADIENE-STYRENE BY J-INTEGRAL METHODS

Abstract

The fracture toughness of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) was determined by three J-integral methods, ASTM E813-81, E813-87, and by hysteresis. The critical J values (J(1c)) obtained are fairly independent of the specimen thickness, ranging from 10 to 15 mm. ASTM E813-81 and hysteresis methods result in comparable J(1c) values, whereas the ASTM E813-87 was similar to 40% to 50% higher. The critical displacement determined from the plots of hysteresis (energy or ratio) and the true crack grow length vs. displacement are close. This indicates the critical displacement determined by the hysteresis method is indeed the displacement at onset of crack initiation, and the corresponding J(1c) represents a physical event of crack initiation. The elastic storage energy, the input energy minus the hysteresis energy, is the most important factor in determining the onset of crack initiation. The critical elastic storage energy (at the beginning of crack growth) was found close to the J(1c) obtained from the E813-81 or the hysteresis method.