Thermal Imaging for the Analysis of Energy Balance During Crack Propagation

Earlier [1] we described an experimental procedure aimed at examining the spatial and temporal distribution of energy dissipation during crack initiation and propagation in a ductile polymer. The experiment combines a table-top tensile tester and an infrared imaging system. Because of the intense heating of the crack tip region, direct observation of the temperature rise not only provides an accurate measurement of the position of the crack tip, and thus the propagation velocity, but also much information for the analysis of plastic deformation, energy conversion, and evaluation of thermal properties of polymer materials. In the present paper, we will present an analysis of the energy balance in such measurements