A two-point bending technique has been used not only to measure the breaking stress of optical fiber but also to predict its static and dynamic fatigue. The present theory of this test is based on elastica theory of rod. However, within the limits of elastica theory the tensile and shear stresses cannot be determined. In this paper we study dynamic and static problems for optical fiber in the two- point bending test on the base of geometrically exact theory in which rod can suffer flexure, extension, and shear. We obtain the governing partial differential equations taking into account the fact that the lateral motion of the fiber is restrained by the presence of flat parallel plates. We develop the computational methods for solving the initial and equilibrium free-boundary nonlinear planar problems. We derive the formulas for predicting of the tensile strength from strength in the bending and calculate one example.

Date Published: 27 January 1999
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 3532, Optical Wireless Communications, (27 January 1999); doi: 10.1117/12.338974

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3532:
Optical Wireless Communications
Eric J. Korevaar, Editor(s)