Lifetime Assessment of Particulate Ceramic Composite with Residual Stresses

Abstract

A micro-crack propagation in particulate ceramic based composite was studied using finite element method (FEM). Subcritical crack growth (SCG) was numerically simulated under complex load conditions (mechanical loading and loading by internal residual stresses). The effect of residual stresses on the crack propagation was studied. Two-dimensional computational model of particulate ceramic composite with material properties corresponding to low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) was developed. The results indicate that the presence of residual stresses significantly reduces values of stress intensity factor in the vicinity of composite surface and the direction of residual stresses around the particles contributes to the micro-crack deflection from the particles. The time to failure of the composite under mechanical loading was determined. Results obtained contribute to a better understanding of the role of residual stresses during micro-crack propagation in ceramic particulate composites.