Prediction of failure initiation in polypropylene with glass beads

The effect of glass bead content and residual stresses on failure initiation in isotactic polypropylene composites has been investigated by finite element analysis for the cases of interfacial debonding, plastic yielding, and cavitation. Residual thermal stresses are demonstrated to have a large effect on global failure initiation stress. Yielding and cavitation occur at higher global stresses than debonding. Modeling results, as well as previous experimental data, support debonding as the initial failure mechanism.