ABSTRACT
The crack propagation behaviour of all materials was investigated on Single Edge Notched (SEN) specimens with a Coesfeld Tear Fatigue Analyzer (Eisele et al. 1992). In order to determine the characteristic material constants ‘B’ and ‘β’ a minimum of three different strain amplitudes were used. The apparatus records the number of cycles and the crack length as well as the strain, the stress and the elastic strain energy density ‘W’. The crack propagation rate and the tear energy ‘T’ were evaluated in the initial stable crack propagation region.
