The objective of this research is to study theoretically and experimentally, crack initiation and damage evolution in polymeric materials under fatigue loading. The mechanism of damage evolution will be determined by microscopic observation of the sectioned fatigue specimens. The kinetics of damage growth will be modelled in the analytical study. The results will lead to a predictive formalism for damage evolution and fatigue crack initiation. Alternatively, the results can be used to develop more reliable techniques for predicting the life time of a structural component subjected to fatigue loading.
