Abstract

In the current context of research, competitiveness, and technological innovation, numerical simulation assumes an increased role in the design, qualification, and certification of industrial products. However, the passage from the material sample, for the characterization of the behavior [1], to the design of the final product by numerical simulation is effective only by carrying out an intermediate step. This consists of a correlation between a test on a structure close to the one to be designed or a reference structure and the numerical simulation of this test. To develop reliable numerical tools, manufacturers generally rely on a pyramid protocol describing the tests on semi-structural and structural samples to design the full-scale assemblies. If this approach is common in the transport or building sector, in the field of rotomolded polymer tanks it must be deployed and the effectiveness of such a protocol must be demonstrated. More specifically, by transposing this approach to the world of rotomolded polymer structures, it is possible to build the pyramid of dialogue tests/calculations from the characterization specimen to the dimensioning of rotomolded structures by recalling the stake of the numerical model to predict the behavior at 20 or 50 years. The objective of this presentation is to evaluate the implementation of the test pyramid to finely apprehend the behavior of a rotomolded tank within the framework of the regulations (standard). This approach is deployed in an industrial context, where it is important to correlate the tests/simulations in a reasonable time that must be related to the development time of a structure. The behavioral models must allow fast calculations and give reliable indications. The implementation of the pyramid is presented and a comparison of simulations and optical measurements on a single scale structure allows to quantify the limits of the approach. [1] E. Lainé, C. Bouvy, J.-C. Grandidier, G. Vaes, Methodology of Accelerated Characterization for long-term creep prediction of polymer structures to ensure their service life, Polymer Testing 79 (2019).