A micromechanically-based model for predicting dynamic damage evolution in ductile polymers

Abstract

A new micromechanically-based viscoelastic cohesive zone model is proposed that extends the features of a quasi-static model previously developed by the authors. A statistical distribution of fibril radii is assumed, and a critical fibril radius is introduced as a fracture criterion. Results are presented for various loading rates, and it is found that this dynamic damage model is both physically motivated and capable of modeling complex phenomena in cohesive zones.