5. Conclusion

It is now accepted that the behavior of plastics is complex, combining viscoelastic, viscoplastic and damage effects. This complexity is inherent in the material itself, which can respond to stress via a variety of processes. This difficulty is precisely what makes polymers so versatile and therefore so interesting in certain applications. It would be illusory to think that materials can be simplified, and complex dimensioning is the price to pay for using plastics to their full potential. Black-metal approaches, which simply transpose metallurgical habits, are to be avoided at all costs, as they are extremely dangerous.

Characterization methods need to be adapted. Temperature, speed and loading mode must be precisely controlled. Strain field and temperature measurement techniques must become part of the daily instrumentation for all measurements.

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