2008 Volume 2 Issue 4 Pages 567-573
The fracture behavior of a brittle polymer, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resin, under impact tensile loading was studied using single-edge-cracked specimens. The dynamic load and displacement were measured with a Piezo sensor and a high-speed extensometer, respectively. The load and displacement diagram, i.e., the external work Uex applied to the specimen was used to determine the elastic energy Ee and non-elastic energy En due to viscoelastic and plastic deformation, and the fracture energy Ef for creating new fracture surface As. The energy-release rate was then estimated using Gf=Ef/As. The values of Ee, En, Ef and Gf were correlated with the fracture loads, and compared with the ones earlier determined for the static loading conditions.