Microstructure and contours of crack tip crazes in PVC created under different loading conditions

Crack tip crazes in rigid PVC were investigated by optical interferometry and subsequently microtomed for investigation in an high voltage electron microscope. A good agreement between dimensions measured by both means has been found. A craze created under fatigue loading exhibits fibrillar structure whereas the craze matter from static load Is almost structureless. In a craze first created under fatigue and than enlargened under static load both types of craze structure can be found exhibiting the regimes of different loading histories.