Fatigue of Plastics

December 8, 2016

All sessions begin at 11:00 am

Approx. Run Time: 1 hour

Fatigue is the weakening of a material caused by repeatedly applied loads. It is the progressive and localized structural damage that occurs when a material is subjected to cyclic loading. The exposure of plastic materials to dynamic stress can produce several different responses, and will certainly alter the mechanical properties of the material. Fatigue is a very important failure mechanism for plastic components, and a clear understanding of its implications is essential. Topics covered will include: 

• Fatigue failure mechanism for plastics
• Factors effecting fatigue resistance 
• Fatigue testing

The effects of fatigue loading will be reviewed and a case study used to illustrate failure resulting from dynamic stress loading.