Method for obtaining long-length strength distributions for reliability prediction

Abstract

A technique for measuring the fiber strength distribution of many kilometers of fiber was developed. The strength distribution of 100 km can be generated in a week's time by a single operator. A strength distribution for 400 km of fiber is shown to depart from the high-strength region around the 1% failure probability level and the data exhibit the beginnings of the truncated portion of the strength distribution. Such data are believed to be useful in making failure probability predictions, process improvements, and aid in the understanding of crack-growth behavior during proof testing.