Evaluation of U-Notch and V-Notch Geometries on the Mechanical Behavior of PVDF: The DIC Technique and FEA Approach.

The notch effect of semicrystalline PVDF was investigated using U- and V-notch geometries with different depths, and tensile tests were performed at 23 °C using the DIC technique and FEA. Both unnotched and notched dumbbell-shaped specimens were subjected to tensile loading with the DIC technique to obtain mechanical curves and strain maps. The experimental data were compared to a numerical model, analyzing both global mechanical curves and local strain maps around the notch region to assess the accuracy of the simulations. The results demonstrated that the geometry and depth of the notch influence the mechanical behavior of PVDF, presenting a decrease in load and displacement compared to unnotched specimens. This aspect was corroborated by strain maps, which showed the increase in the local strain around the notch tip. For FEA, the global analysis indicated a good correlation with experimental results, and the local analysis demonstrated a reasonable agreement in strain map results within 0.5 mm of the notch neighborhood. Overall, the DIC technique and FEA provided a reliable evaluation of notch behavior on the PVDF used as pressure sheaths with reasonable precision.