A controlled crack growth was achieved in single edge—cracked specimens made of a high—molecular weight PNNA by regulating the cross— head speed of loading of the specimens by a computer—driven testing device. The crosshead speeds used during the tests were varied between v =1x107m/s and 1X1O5m/s. 5 It was shown that in this area of very slow quasi—static loading of brittle plexiglas specimens ...