A simple method for J-R curve determination in ABS polymers

The objective of this paper is to investigate the applicability of a very simple new method, based on load separation criterion, developed for evaluating J-R curves in steels, when applied to ABS polymers. This technique proposes the testing of a single precracked specimen and a single blunt notched specimen. The latter provides a method to detect the plastic displacement range during crack tip blunting in which the assumption of load separation criterion in the precracked specimen is valid, and also allows determination of J IC independently of J-R curve determination. The deformation material function is assumed to be a Ramberg-Osgood type law deformation function which leads to a very easy procedure to determine J-R curves. The J-R curve resulting from this new method is compared with one resulting from a traditional multiple specimen J-R curve determination method. Both results are in good agreement.