Why do polymers have rate-dependent behavior?

How can you capture this behavior with modern test methods?

What models are available in FE codes, and how can I find the parameters for my test data?

Testing and Modeling of Polymers for Solid Mechanics Simulations

Advanced and accurate modeling of time- and temperature-dependent response of thermoplastics, elastomers, TPEs, composites, and foams.

Modern solid mechanics FE codes have built-in, advanced material models that can capture the complex behavior of polymers, including rate-dependent yield, plasticity, creep, stress-relaxation, and anisotropy. Designing your part without taking these into account can lead to extra iterations in the design cycle, field failures, or overdesign, resulting in greater financial manufacturing costs.

Using advanced, modern test methods can enable simulation and test engineers to capture all these complex material effects, but measuring the mechanical behavior is the first step. Using your data to select and calibrate a material model will enable engineers to predict potential failures earlier in the design.

On this four-session online course, you’ll learn how to design a test plan, how to capture the test plan, and then calibrate your material model. You’ll then see the power of these models in your simulations to enable more accurate FE simulations. We’ll cover the behavior of all polymers, including elastomers, TPEs/TPVs/TPUs, thermoplastic and thermosets, fluoropolymers, adhesives, and composites. We’ll discuss hyperelastic material models, linear and non-linear viscoelastic models, and non-linear viscoplastic material models, including when to use each one.

Who should attend?

Anyone with some experience in FE modeling and some knowledge of polymers.

Experience with a solid mechanics FE program will help, though examples will be code-independent. Prior knowledge of material models will help as well. No experience with material testing is required.

What will you learn?

The key takeaways from this class are:

Identify the differences between hyperelastic, viscoelastic, plastic, and viscoplastic material models.
Design a test plan for polymer materials (thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers, TPE/TPU/TPVs, composites, biomaterials, fluoropolymers, foams, etc.).
Select an appropriate material model for calibration.
Understand how to calibrate a material model to your test data.
Understand material model validation and its importance.

Why an E-Learning class?

Travel and training budgets are always tight! The e-Learning course has been developed to help you meet your training needs.

If your company has a group of engineers or specific training requirements across any subjects, please contact us to discuss options.

Course Content

Motivation and Polymer Behavior
Rate Dependence
Viscoelasticity
Temperature Dependence
Polymer Testing
DIC Study
Toe-in Correction
Validation Testing
Testing for Rate Dependence
Temperature dependence
Continuum Mechanics
Deformation gradient and strain measures
Strain energy density definitions
Stress from strain energy density Material Models
Hyperelasticity
Viscoelasticity
Non-linear Viscoplasticity
Designing a Test Plan

PSE

PSE Competencies addressed by this training course

FEAap13	Conduct validation studies in support of FEA
FEAsy8	Prepare a validation plan in support of a FEA study
MASkn1	Identify the materials commonly used in your industry sector and indicate which properties led to their use.
MASkn2	List material failure and damage mechanisms with cause and effect statements, for materials commonly used in your industry sector.
MASkn3	Identify those material properties commonly used in analysis and simulation within your organisation.
MASkn4	List any material temperature limits (high and low) specified for the materials commonly used in your industry sector.
MASco2	Explain the terms Isotropic, Orthotropic, Anisotropic and Homogeneous.
MASco5	Discuss the general issue of scatter in material properties relevant to your analysis and simulation and how this is allowed for.
MASco7	Describe the following constitutive behaviour for materials relevant to your industry sector: elastic- perfectly plastic, hyperelastic, viscoelastic, viscoplastic.
MASco10	Discuss situations where knowledge of material data is falling behind analysis capability.
MASco11	Discuss the terms kinematic hardening, isotropic hardening, Bauschinger effect, hysteresis loop.
MASco14	Discuss the general characteristics of thermoplastics, thermo-setting plastics and elastomers.
MASco15	If relevant to your industry sector, explain how use of a modulus and allowable stress can be used in a small displacement linear elastic analysis of a plastic component.
MASco18	Describe the effects of strain rate (if any) on the behaviour of materials used in products within your organisation.
MASco24	Describe how different classes of materials behave under stress.
MASap1	Employ material constitutive data appropriately in analysis and simulation.
MASan1	Compare test results and simulation to check that the material model chosen is consistent with the actual material behaviour
MASsy1	Specify appropriate material properties and constitutive laws for models, which are consistent with the materials being used in the environment being modelled and at the load levels specified.
MASev1	Assess the significance of simplifying material behaviour on the objectives of analyses.
PLASap1	Define elastic perfectly plastic and bi-linear or multi-linear hardening constitutive data as appropriate.
PLASap7	Using standard material data, derive a true stress vs true strain curve to be used for nonlinear analysis.
CTDkn4	List the range of creep and time-dependent constitutive models available in any finite element used.
CTDkn6	State the basic definitions of stress relaxation and creep.
CTDco10	Discuss the complexities arising from a multiaxial stress state and illustrate how these are normally handled.
CTDap1	Define creep constitutive data as appropriate.