THERMAL STRESS-FOCUSING EFFECT IN A TRANSVERSELY ISOTROPIC SPHERICAL ZIRCONIA INCLUSION IN AN INFINITE ELASTIC MEDIUM CAUSED BY IMPACT COOLING

Abstract

When an isotropic infinite elastic medium with a transversely isotropic spherical zirconia inclusion is suddenly subjected to a uniform temperature fall, stresswavesoccur at the interface of the spherical inclusion the moment thermal impact is applied. The stress wave in a transversely isotropic spherical inclusion proceeds radially inward to the center of the inclusion. The wave may accumulate at the center and cause very large stress magnitudes, even though the initial thermal stress should be relatively small. This phenomenon is called the stress-focusing effect. The stress wave in an inclusion may be affected by phase transformation during the tempering process. The stress-focusing effects are analyzed in an exact manner, and a clear indication of the mechanism of thermal and phase transformational stress-focusing effects in a transversely isotropic spherical Zirconia inclusion in the isotropic infinite elastic domain is given.