Coulton, Jerome Philip Jack (1996) Effect of elevated strain rates on the mechanical performance of polyethylene structures. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

The theme of this research was the development of an integrated approach to establish
how the stiffness of a thermoplastic material could be measured and modelled for use
in impact simulations. By undertaking this an understanding was obtained of how
thermoplastic materials behave and the structures that are made from them perform
when subjected to mechanical impact loads.
A series of tensile tests was undertaken using three control methods to establish a
tensile test control method suitable for a wide range of strain rates. The effect of
applied strain rate on the mechanical performance of High Density Polyethylene
(HDPE), as illustrated by the tensile stress-strain curve, was investigated. Tests were
performed at various elongation rates and temperatures to simulate different practical
operating conditions. Extensive use of the finite element method was made in
simulating the mechanical impact performance of various beam, disc and automotive
fuel tank structures with the predictions of these analyses being correlated with
experimental test data.
The research is novel and of direct practical relevance as indicated by the prediction
and correlation with experimental data, of the impact performance of a HDPE fuel
tank, which to the author's knowledge has not been previously done. The
demonstrated methodology thus provides a significant advance in the prediction of the
impact performance of components made from polymers, whose mechanical
performance is strain rate sensitive.

Item Type:	Thesis or Dissertation (PhD)
Subjects:	T Technology > TP Chemical technology
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Thermoplastics -- Analysis, Thermoplastics -- Impact testing
Official Date:	May 1996
Dates:	Date Event May 1996 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	School of Engineering
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Smith, Gordon
Sponsors:	Great Britain. Dept. of Trade and Industry (DTI)
Extent:	xix, 163, [50] p.
Language:	eng
URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/50492

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