Failure and Damage of Polymers

Failure of a component is a designer’s and an engineer’s biggest headache. The field of study that analyzes failed products or predicts failure is very large and complex. With polymers, failure is caused by mechanical, thermal, chemical, or other environmental influences. This chapter begins with a small overview of fracture mechanics. Here, simple models are presented that can be used to quantify the strength of polymers. The subsequent sections cover short-term behavior, impact strength, creep rupture, fatigue, wear, and environmental effects.