Time-Temperature-Stress Superposition Principle: Brief Description and Application to Polymer Creep Behavior

Abstract

A new accelerated characterization model for creep performances was briefly introduced first, which considers both the effects of temperature and stress level, named time-temperature- stress superposition principle (TTSSP). TTSSP assumes that the influence of stress level on the intrinsic time is similar to that of temperature for the creep behavior, as well as damage and physical aging. The creep curves at different state can be shifted into a master curve at reference state using TTSSP. Then the long-term creep behavior of viscoelastic materials at lower temperature and/or stress level can be predicted from the short-term ones. Finally, TTSSP was used to investigate the nonlinear creep behavior of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). It was shown that the long-term creep behavior of HDPE can be predicted successfully.