Polymer, Vol.40, No.13, 3711-3727, 1999
A constitutive model in viscoelastoplasticity of glassy polymers
Constitutive equations are derived for the viscoelastoplastic response of glassy polymers under isothermal loading. The model is based on a concept of adaptive links (a version of the theory of temporary networks), where active chains are modeled as elastoplastic elements. Breakage and reformation of adaptive links reflect the viscoelastic behavior, whereas irreversible deformations of links are responsible for plastic effects. Stress-strain relations in finite viscoelastoplasticity are developed with the use of the laws of thermodynamics. These relationships are essentially simplified at small strains, when geometrical and physical nonlinearities are neglected. The model is applied to the analysis of uniaxial extension of a viscoelastoplastic bar. Fair agreement is demonstrated between experimental data for polycarbonate and poly(methyl methacrylate) at elevated temperatures and results of numerical simulation.
Keywords:PLASTIC-DEFORMATION;STRAIN-RATE;NONLINEAR VISCOELASTICITY;FINITE VISCOELASTICITY;ADAPTIVE LINKS;NETWORK MODELS;SOLIDPOLYMERS;BEHAVIOR;YIELD;TEMPERATURE