A numerical method for determining tensile stress-strain properties of plastics from total elongation measurements

Abstract

A numerical scheme is developed whereby the stress-strain characteristic of a plastics test specimen is derived from a set of measured load versus total elongation data. Finite element analysis is employed to check the validity of the assumptions made. The stress-strain characteristics obtained using the numerical scheme compare well with those measured using an infrared extensometer. The success of the scheme could dispense with the use of clip-on extensometers on relatively soft plastics, which has been shown to give rise to inaccuracies of measurement and premature failure of test specimens. © 1989.