| Abstract: | This paper illustrates the factors that control brittle failure under fatigue loading for test specimens cut from medium-density polyethylene pipes for gas distribution. A square bar specimen cut from a pipe with a notch was made and a fatigue test was conducted to cause a brittle failure. To obtain the correlation among stress range, frequency, temperature, and cycles to failure in this fatigue test, Coffin-Manson's frequency-modified fatigue life equation was adopted and the material constants were determined. By gradually lowering the frequency, the resistance to creep can be estimated because cycles to failure—indicating the fatigue damage—decreased, and the actual loading time—indicating the creep damage—increased. |
