A methodology for describing creep‐fatigue interactions in thermoplastic components

In service, some plastics components are subjected to intimate mixtures of creep and fatigue loading, such that both have the potential to cause component failure. This paper examines, for the case of a single design of an injection molded fitting that comprised part of a polyethylene pipeline system, the response of that fitting to fatigue loading patterns that included significant elements of creep loading. The performance of the fitting was monitored and the data interpreted in terms of the concepts of fractional fatigue and fractional creep damage. The approach helps in identifying the design criteria to be used for components that are to be subjected to complex fatigue loadings. For the cases where significant creep‐fatigue interactions occur, such that the additive damage was nonlinear, the method can identify critical frequencies at which maximum damage occurs. This style of analysis will be most useful for plastics components that are used in critical applications where failure has to be avoided.