Abstract
Ceramics are expected as high performance bearings. So investigation of the rolling contact fatigue strength is crucially important. To evaluate the effects of the shot peening and crack-healing on the rolling contact fatigue strength, rolling contact fatigue tests carried out on Si_3N_4/SiC composite. The residual stress, the apparent fracture toughness and Vickers hardness were investigated. The rolling contact fatigue strength was improved by compressive residual stress introduced by shot peening. The rolling contact fatigue strength decreased by pre-cracks. However, it was improved by conducting crack-healing and shot peening.
