Rotating beam fatigue test has been performed at room temperature for two types of advanced hot-pressed silicon nitrides. The test completion modes consist of fast fracture, fatigue fracture, and runout (at about 108 cycles). Some specimens tested have been subjected to step-up load testing. Application of Weibull statistical method has been made as the fatigue lives of specimens under a constant bending load are subjected to wide scatter. A maximum likelihood analysis was applied to test data obtained from the single load and step-up load tests to determine the fatigue (or crack growth) exponent. The effect of specimen surface finish on fast and fatigue fracture has also been investigated using the Weibull analysis.

Issue Section:
Technical Papers
Topics:
Fatigue, Silicon, Fracture (Materials), Stress, Cycles, Electromagnetic scattering, Fatigue testing, Finishes, Rotating beams, Temperature, Testing
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