VITREOUS-BONDED ABRASIVES ARE BEING USED IN HIGH SPEED APPLICATIONS WHERE THEIR MECHANICAL RELIABILITY MUST BE ASSURED. THE OVERSPEED PROOF TEST PROCEDURE AS OUTLINED IN EXISTING SAFETY CODES TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE VARIABILITY AND TIME-DEPENDENCY IN STRENGTH EXHIBITED BY THESE MATERIALS. FRACTURE MECHANICS PRINCIPLES ACCURATELY DESCRIBE THIS BEHAVIOR AND CAN DETERMINE AN OVERSPEED PROOF TEST TO ASSURE AGAINST PREMATURE FAILURE. AT HIGHER OPERATING SPEEDS, THE PROBABILITY OF FAILURE AND THE STRENGTH DEGRADATION DUE TO FATIGUE INCREASE DRASTICALLY. THE RESULT IS THE INCREASED NEED FOR PROOF TESTING AS OPERATING SPEEDS ARE INCREASED. EXISTING FRACTURE MECHANICS THEORY IS APPLICABLE AT THESE HIGH SPEEDS.