Abstract:

A test method for bending fatigue has been developed to determine the bending fatigue strength of fibres. This new equipment is capable of performing the bending fatigue testing of fibres under different pre-tensions, bending angles and temperatures. This article presents results from tests on single high performance polyethylene fibre (HPPE) to characterise its bending fatigue behaviour under cyclic loading and temperatures. The curve of the cyclic tension shows that the cyclic tension changes in periods during the cyclic bending process. The S-N and č-N curves indicated that the pre-tension and bending angle had great influences on the bending fatigue life of HPPE fibre. A CCD camera was utilised to allow observation of the bending fatigue fracture morphology of the fibre. It showed the fracture mechanism of the HPPE fibres. The bending fatigue life of HPPE fibre was tested at different temperatures to show that its bending fatigue strength is strongly influenced by the temperature.