Mechanical Fracture Behavior Study and Service Life Prediction of single-notch and double-notch specimens in ABS with internal notches

Abstract

The advancement of polymers continues to expand relentlessly, playing an increasingly significant role in our daily lives. Ongoing developments in polymer science have revolutionized numerous industries and brought about a multitude of applications. From mass-market industries to high-performance sectors, polymers are omnipresent in all aspects of our lives, highlighting the need for a more rigorous understanding of their properties, characteristics, and behavior. In this context, two approaches have been adopted to estimate the critical failure time of ABS specimens: one involving virgin specimens and the other artificially pre-damaged with notches of varying diameters. The first approach is based on damage mechanics and utilizes a modified damage model, while the second approach relies on fracture mechanics and utilizes the Griffith theory to estimate the critical notch from which the specimens should be rejected. These two methods allow us to track material degradation and predict the moment when damage acceleration occurs. This technique provides industrial stakeholders with the opportunity to implement a preventive maintenance strategy.