STUDY OF ELECTRORHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS BEHAVIOR UNDER FATIGUE TESTS

ER fluids made of starch and CMC in silicone fluid were submitted to f atigue tests in a Material Testing System (MTS). Wohler curves were de termined and the behavior of the electric current was studied. We conc luded that it is possible to treat data on fatigue life of ER fluids b y means of Weibull distribution and that it is possible to determine t he time the ''snap'' begins in an ER material by monitoring the electr ic current. The ER fluids studied have fatigue lives similar to those of some polymers like polypropylene and polyethylene.