The Effect of Creep

And Other Time Related Factors on Plastics

Plastics Design Library is a trademark of William Andrew, Inc.
 Copyright 1991. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 1-884207-03-0

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Although the information contained in this volume has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, no
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environment and other variables affect actual part and material performance. Inasmuch as the manufacturers, suppliers, and
William Andrew, Inc., Plastics Design Library  have no control over those variables or the use to which others may put the
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 INTRODUCnON

Most data sheetsfor .plastics~ive ample information on short term, room

temperature propertIes, but lIttle or none on extended service, elevated
temperature behavior. With The Effect of Creepand Other Time Related
Factors on Plastics,Plastics Design Library (PDL) gives the designer a
comprehensivesource of long term property data for plastic materials.
Combining this data bank with the PDL Effect of Temperatureand Other
Factors on Plasticsand Chemical Compatibility and Environmental Stress
Crack Resistancedata banks, plastics engineersnow have at their finger
tips property data which more closely resemblesthe real life service
conditions of plastic parts.
Properties that are particularly important for extended service are creep
resistanceand stressrelaxation. When an instantaneousload in the
elastic region is applied to a plastic part, the resulting deformation can be
roughly predicted by the flexural modulus or tensile modulus of the
plastic. Deformation then continues at a slower rate indefinitely until the
part ruptures. Upon removal of the load, some portion of the part's
original dimensionswill be recovered. Someportion of the deformation
will remain permanently. This time, temperature, load dependent non-
recoverable deformation is called creep and is a result of the viscoelastic
nature of plastic materials.

When loading is more than momentary, creep data must be considered

for purposesof material selection and design. The creep modulus
representsthe modulus of a material at a specific stresslevel and
temperature over a specified period of time. By substituting the time,
temperature, load dependent creep or apparent modulus for the
instantaneousmodulus in the appropriate design equations, creep can be
predicted.
Sourcesabound which provide information on how to use creep data and
the closely related stressrelaxation data in the design of plastic parts.
The purpose of this volume is to make available the data necessaryto
apply these concepts. Also .provided is thermal aging data, another
important phenomenon whIch must be consideredwhen designing for the
long term use of plastics.
The information presented herein should be considered only a starting
point in evaluating the suitability of a plastic for a particular operating
environment. It sl1ouldnot be used by the industry as the basis for final
decisions because the specific end use application, design and/ or
condition of use may have added effects on performance in a particular
environment. It is recommended that laboratory testing of the specific
end use application be conducted under expected service conditions.