Computational simulation of microfracture in high temperature composites

Abstract

This paper presents a summary and typical results of the research activities pertaining to composite microfracture in high temperature metal matrix composites carried out by the authors. The various failure modes and their effect on macro behavior as well as the hierarchy of their occurrences are examined by computationally simulating these events using three-dimensional finite element analyses. The procedure is based on the macro strain energy release rate which predicts the direction of crack growth and establishes the hierarchy and sequence of respective failure modes. Step-by-step procedures are outlined for evaluating composite microfracture. Microfracture results for various loading cases for a unidirectional metal matrix composite are presented and discussed. A key result is that interfacial debonding is a consequence of either fiber or matrix fracture.