Creep in oriented thermoplastics

Sheets of oriented low-density polyethylene possessing transverse symmetry were prepared by simple tensile drawing at room temperature. The degree of anisotropy was varied by varying the draw ratio. Classic elasticity theory shows that five constants are necessary to characterize the deformation behavior of an elastic material possessing such symmetry. The time-dependent equivalents of these constants have been determined from the simultaneous measurement of longitudinal and lateral strain during tensile creep of specimens cut at 0, 45, and 90 deg to the draw direction. Special creep apparatus, able to handle small, flexible specimens, was developed for this study. The shear compliance obtained from the tensile creep studies was in good agreement with the value obtained from torsional creep measurements on a 0-deg specimen, for the entire range of draw ratios. The contraction measurements have been used to provide additional evidence for deformation mechanisms suggested by the longitudinal strain measurements and, when combined with tensile measurements, have allowed the volume changes occurring during tensile creep to be calculated.