Prediction of impact properties of polyolefin foams

The mechanical response of PP foam at a wide range of strain rate was investigated. The linear and non-linear viscoelastic behavior was analyzed. The material was tested with creep and dynamic-mechanical experiments and the correlation between strain rate effects and viscoelastic properties of the foam was obtained using viscoelasticity theory and separating strain and time effects. A scheme for the prediction of stress strain curve at any strain rate was developed introducing a strain rate dependent scaling factor. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.