Damage in Rubber-Modified Polymers : Experimental, Modelling and Computational Aspects

Microstructural modification of materials is a well known technique which is used to enhance their mechanical properties. Examples of such materials are polymer blends, polymer composites, metal matrix composites, alloy systems and most of the natural materials, such as bone and wood. This heterogeneous aspect acts as an important factor on their macroscopic mechanical behaviour response. Relationships between the micro structural phenomena and the macroscopic deformation behaviour are required when predicting macroscopic properties from the microstructure of a material.