To explore the impact of ambient and structural water on static fatigue, the initiation and growth of 3279 Vickers induced median radial cracks were automatically recorded and analyzed. We find that humidity is more efficient in initiating cracks and promoting their growth than water, which is dissolved in the glass structure. In particular for slow crack growth (< 3 × 10^–6 m s^–1), tests in dry nitrogen showed a considerable decrease in the crack growth exponent with increasing water content of the glasses. On the other hand, if tests were performed in humid air, the crack growth exponent was independent of the water content of the hydrous glasses, while stress intensity decreased slightly. These observations indicate that water promotes the processes at the crack-tip regardless of its origin. However, ambient water is more efficient.

为了探索环境和结构水对静态疲劳的影响，自动记录和分析了3279维克斯诱发的中位径向裂纹的萌生和生长。我们发现，湿气比玻璃中溶解的水更有效地引发裂纹并促进裂纹的增长。特别是对于缓慢的裂纹扩展（<3×10 ^–6 ms ^–1），在干燥氮气中的测试表明，随着玻璃含水量的增加，裂纹扩展指数显着降低。另一方面，如果在潮湿的空气中进行测试，则裂纹扩展指数与含水玻璃的含水量无关，而应力强度则略有下降。这些观察结果表明，无论水的起源如何，水都会促进裂纹尖端处的过程。但是，环境水效率更高。