Characterizing and modeling the non-linear viscoelastic tensile deformation of a glass fiber reinforced polypropylene

On the basis of comprehensive experimental investigations on a long glass fiber reinforced polypropylene (PP-LGF) a novel rheological material model is developed. It features a decomposition of the stress into a time independent quasi-static and a time and strain dependent viscous contribution. Furthermore it allows for plastic deformations starting from the very beginning of straining and is thereby able to reproduce the absence of a purely linear elastic domain going along with the nonexistence of a defined yield point, characteristic for many fiber reinforced thermoplastic polymers. In order to approach the true quasi-static material behavior, various tensile tests were carried out. The viscous material behavior was deduced from a series of stress relaxation experiments and is described by Eyring's equation with strain dependent viscosity parameters. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.