Application of viscoelastic fracture criteria to progressive crack propagation in polymer matrix composites

With the view of comparing local and global viscoelastic fracture criteria, an extension of Christensen's criterion to composite materials with stiff elastic fibers is proposed. Several versions of this criterion are compared with Schapery's local approach of the same phenomenon. The asymptotic version of Christensen's criterion for rapid crack propagation is found suitable for the material investigated, at room temperature. Dissipation in the specimen has two main sources: the undamaged material on one hand, and the damaged material inside the `failure zone' close to the crack tip on the other. The respective roles of these two kinds of dissipation are assessed.