Tensile fatigue of glass fibers and composites with conventional and surface compressed fibers

The mechanism of tensile cyclic fatigue failure in conventional glass fiber dominated composites has been investigated using single fibers, strands, and composites. Surface damage to the fibers resulting from a fretting type of contact is identified as the dominant mechanism. Macrofibers of glass or glassceramic with residual surface compression have been developed to overcome the sensitivity both to cyclic and static fatigue. The macrofibers and their composites with several different matrices show greatly improved tensile fatigue resistance.