Experimental and numerical study of standard impact tests on polypropylene pipes with brittle behaviour

This work deals on a straightforward methodology for analysing and identifying impact fractures in polypropylene commercial pipes through experimental tests and numerical procedures. The pipes are characterized by brittle behaviour at low temperature (0 °C). Laboratory experiments, at different conditions, explain the material behaviour and support the numerical study of the pipes to external blows and the dynamic simulation of the crack growth.The implemented numeric procedure enables us to follow the fracture path evolution by selectively deactivating the finite elements. Comparisons between impact tests and simulations, fracture toughness and the energy release rate, shows that the proposed method simulates the impact effects accurately and rapidly and allows the damage identification. Furthermore, the onset of clearly visible damage is correctly predicted. © 2012 IMechE