SEDL / STP / STP336-EB / STP42022S

High-Speed Compression Testing of Thermoplastics

Ely, Richard E.
ChiefResearch and Development Directorate, U.S. Army Missile Command, Solid Mechanics Branch, Physical Sciences Laboratory, Redstone Arsenal, Ala.

Pages: 19    Published: Jan 1963

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Abstract

Compressive properties for polyethylene, ethyl cellulose, and cellulose acetate butyrate are reported for stress rates ranging from static conditions to 1,000,000 psi per sec and for five test temperatures. The solid cylindrical specimens had a slenderness ratio of 8, and the specimen ends were lubricated. Stresses at 2 and 6 per cent strain and secant moduli are reported for over 330 tests. Tests were conducted with the aid of a commercial tester and a pneumatic-type, high-speed compression machine developed for this study.

A second study was conducted to investigate the influence of specimen length on the compressive properties of plastics. Room-temperature tests were conducted at essentially constant strain rates by using a prescribed crosshead velocity with each length of specimen. The results are used to interpret the data obtained at high loading rates.