Toward a new phenomenological flow rule for orientationally hardening glassy polymers (Q1358848)

A new yield surface is proposed, and the behavior of its associated flow rule is explored. This anisotropic flow rule exhibits solutions which follow fairly well the orientational hardening behavior of glassy polymers. Specifically, solutions obeying the flow rule are calculated for various orthotropic loading histories, and comparisons are made to experimental data for polycarbonate. Additionally, we give a rational means for describing phenomenologically deformation induced elastic stiffening and deformation induced elastic anisotropy.