Effects of deformed volume, volume fraction and particle size on the deformation behaviour of W/Cu composites

Tungsten/copper (W/Cu) particle reinforced composites were used to investigate the scaling effects on the deformation and fracture behaviour. The effects of the volume fraction and the particle size of the reinforcement (tungsten particles) were studied. W/Cu-80/20, 70/30 and 60/40 wt.% each with tungsten particle size of 10 μm and 30 μm were tested under compression and shear loading. Cylindrical compression specimens with different volumes (D_S = H) were investigated with strain rates between 0.001 s⁻¹ and about 5750 s⁻¹ at temperatures from 20 °C to 800 °C. Axis-symmetric hat-shaped shear specimens with different shear zone widths were examined at different strain rates as well. A clear dependence of the flow stress on the deformed volume and the particle size was found under compression and shear loading. Metallographic investigation was carried out to show a relation between the deformation of the tungsten particles and the global deformation of the specimens. The size of the deformed zone under either compression or shear loading has shown a clear size effect on the fracture of the hat-shaped specimens.The quasi-static flow curves were described with the material law from Swift. The parameters of the material law were presented as a function of the temperature and the specimen size. The mechanical behaviour of the composite materials were numerically computed for an idealized axis-symmetric hat-shaped specimen to verify the determined material law.     

Failure resistance of intermetallic matrix reinforced by wires

Composite materials with brittle matrices such as ceramics and intermetallic compounds have gained increased importance in application. Ceramics and intermetallic compounds possess unique heat-resistance at high temperatures. They are, however, vulnerable to brittle fracture. This problem can be overcome by reinforcing the intermetallic compounds with wires. NiAl-tungsten composite wire was manufactured by hot diffusion welding of alternate layers of the matrix and wires. These specimens were subjected to a three-point bending in the temperature range from 20° to 1000°C. Temperature dependence of the bending strength exhibited brittle to ductile transition behavior. At room temperature, unstable failure by bending is terminated in a stable fashion. Brittle fracture of the matrix and wire were observed. For text temperatures of 300°, 500° and 700°C, subcritical crack growth occurred where the matrix and wire showed brittle and ductile fracture, respectively. A pronounced necking of the specimen was observed as the temperature is increased. Substantial plastic deformation occurred when the test is performed at 1000°C. The critical stress intensity factor K_1c and specific work of fracture were measured and found to be two to three times larger than the intermetallic compounds without wire reinforcement.     

Experimental investigation of strength criteria for S-glass, E-glass and graphite fiber composite plate

Investigated are the Tsai-Hill and Tsai-Wu strength criteria for unidirectional S-glass, E-glass and graphite fiber reinforced composite plate specimens subjected to off-axis tension and compression. Off-axis shear is analyzed by using a circular specimen. The specimen contains almost collinear slits and antisymmetric cut-outs such that their orientation can change with the local axis to produce different combination of normal and shear action. Uniformity of the two-dimensional stress distribution in the center portion of the specimen is checked photoelastically. The stress coefficient F₁₂ in the Tsai-Wu criterion is determined experimentally for a normal extension and pure shear stress field; it is used to analyze the more general situations of off-axis tension, off-axis compression and off-axis shear. The results agreed well with experiments. Similar findings are obtained for the Tsai-Hill criterion except for the case of off-axis shear where large deviations occurred between analytical and experimental results.     

Quasi-static behavior of Mg-alloys with and without short-fiber reinforcement

Magnesium alloys AE42 and AZ91 reinforced with 23 vol.% carbon short fibers (D_f ≈ 7 μm, L_f ≈ 100 μm) were tested under quasi-static loading. The carbon fibers were quasi-isotropically distributed in the horizontal plane (reinforced plane) of the casting. Compression and tensile tests were carried out on both the matrix alloys and the composites at temperatures between 20 °C and 300 °C. Specimens were machined to be loaded either parallel or normal to the reinforced plane. Due to the reinforcement, the compression yield stress of the composite AE42-C increased to a value approximately three-fold greater than the yield strength of the matrix; for composite AZ91-C this parameter was approximately 2.5-fold greater than that of the AZ91 matrix. The improvement in tensile strength was less than that in compression, which could be related to early tensile fracture through decohesion at the matrix–fiber interface, as detected by SEM investigations conducted on failed tensile specimens. Flow curves for the matrix alloys at different temperatures were described by a modified Kocks–Mecking material law. An idealization of a 2-D mesomodel was used for finite-element simulation of the mechanical behavior of the composites. The fibers were first considered as elastic bodies and the behavior of the matrix material was set according to the material law determined from the flow curves for the matrix alloys. Other calculations were carried out by considering elasto-plastic behavior of the fibers for application of a failure initiation technique to simulate the behavior of the composite materials beyond the ultimate stress.     

Enhancement of fracture toughness of steel with defects by warm-prestressing

The technique of warm-prestressing to improve the resistance of structural steel with defects against low temperature fracture has received considerable attention. It is found that warm-prestressing can improve the fracture toughness and change the COD or δ_c, especially the crack tip plastic opening δ_p.The experimental results obtained from three-point bending tests of 42Mn2 steel specimens at −60°C and −20°C are analyzed. Experiments are also made on the bursting of pressure vessels manufactured from #20 steel. The results indicate that warm-prestressing at room temperature increased the bursting pressure at −40°C for d/t = 0.2 to 0.4, where d is the depth of surface crack and t the vessel thickness.     

Nonequilibrium thermal/mechanical response of 6061 aluminum alloy at elevated temperature

This work is concerned with the thermal/mechanical characterization of the 6061 aluminum alloy stretched uniaxially in an elevated temperature environment. The resulting response is one of nonequilibrium where each local element reacts differently in terms of stress, strain and temperature. That is, the local strain and temperature rate change from one location to another with time. While the initial temperature in both the specimen and its surrounding are kept constant, thermal oscillation occurs when the specimen is strained uniaxially. The temperature in the solid decreases at first below the reference state and then increases. A reversal of heat flow takes place between the specimen and surrounding medium which typifies the nonequilibrium character of thermal/mechanical behavior in uniaxial specimens.Numerical results are obtained for loading rate of 1.27 × 10⁻⁴cm/s with initial equilibrium temperature of 25°, 75°, 125° and 175° C. Determined are the nonequilibrium conditions in the solid and on the surface. This is accomplished by considering a two-phase medium such that the surrounding air or gas can interact with the solid, both thermally and mechanically. The state of affairs at or near the solid/gas interface are transient in character; they cannot be preassigned as boundary conditions. The a priori specification of temperature and/or its gradient on solid cannot be justified as it can seriously affect analytical predictions.     

Influence of stress triaxiality and temperature on void growth and ductile/brittle transition behavior of 40 Cr steel

Examined experimentally are the influence of stress triaxiality and temperature on the growth of microvoids and the ductile/brittle transition (DBT) macrobehavior of 40 Cr steel subjected to two different heat treatments. This is accomplished by testing more than 300 smooth and notched specimens over a temperature range of 20°C to −196°C. Changes in the microstructure morphology are examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and identified with fracture data on a surface constructed from the uniaxial strain ε_c at fracture, the stress triaxiality R_σ and the temperature T. While stress triaxiality has a significant influence on the DBT temperature T_c, it does not affect the ratio of the average radius of voids R_o to that of inclusions R_i. The ratio R_o/R_i is found to increase with temperature and remains constant in specimens with different notch radii regardless of the temperature. Empirical relations between T_c and R_σ⁻ and R_o/R_i and T are proposed to better understand how macrofracture parameters are influenced by microstructure entities.     

Spall strength of glass fiber reinforced polymer composites

In the present paper results of a series of plate impact experiments designed to study spall strength in glass–fiber reinforced polymer composites (GRP) are presented. Two GRP architectures are investigated—S2 glass woven roving in Cycom 4102 polyester resin matrix and a balanced 5-harness satin weave E-glass in a Ciba epoxy (LY564) matrix. The GRP specimens were shock loaded using an 82.5 mm bore single-stage gas-gun. A velocity interferometer was used to measure the particle velocity profile at the rear (free) surface of the target plate. The spall strength of the GRP was obtained as a function of the normal component of the impact stress and the applied shear-strain by subjecting the GRP specimens to normal shock compression and combined shock compression and shear loading, respectively. The spall strengths of the two GRP composites were observed to decrease with increasing levels of normal shock compression. Moreover, superposition of shear-strain on the normal shock compression was found to be highly detrimental to the spall strength. The E-glass reinforced GRP composite was found to have a much higher level of spall strength under both normal shock compression and combined compression and shear loading when compared to the S2-glass GRP composite. The maximum spall strength of the E-glass GRP composite was found to be 119.5 MPa, while the maximum spall strength for the S2 glass GRP composite was only 53.7 MPa. These relatively low spall strength levels of the S2-glass and the E-glass fiber reinforced composites have important implications to the design and development of GRP-based light-weight integral armor.     

End-shaped copper fibers in an epoxy matrix—predicted versus actual fracture toughening

End-shaped copper fibers are placed in a brittle thermoset epoxy matrix at 10 vol% and tested in four-point bending to determine the fracture toughness of the composite. Results from four-point bend tests agree well with the theoretical predictions of the fracture toughness increment ‘ΔG’ of a metal fiber/brittle thermoset matrix composite based on single fiber pullout (SFP) tests. This close agreement demonstrates that SFP testing, along with the theoretical model, can be used as an effective end-shape screening tool for ductile fibers before full scale composite testing. The model predicts that the composite’s fracture toughness will be 46% higher with flat end-impacted fibers and 4% lower with rippled fibers compared to straight fibers at a 0° orientation. Four-point bend results show the actual composite’s fracture toughness is 49% higher with flat end-impacted fibers and 5% lower with rippled fibers compared to straight fibers. Further, four-point bend results show that end-shaped copper fibers improve both the flexural strength and modulus of the composite, demonstrating that end-shaped ductile fibers provide a good stress transfer to the fibers by anchoring the fibers into the matrix. Lastly, experimental validation of the model also indicates that at low fiber volume fractions, fiber–fiber interaction has only a minor influence on the fracture toughness for the tested ductile fiber/brittle matrix composite.     

Experimental study of the failure mechanism and strength characteristics of fiber bundles and composites

The primary aim of this investigation was to establish the strength characteristics of S-glass fiber bundles and composites subjected to quasi-static loading. Ten glass-bundle specimens and glass-fiber unilayer specimens, each containing thirty-one approximately equally spaced fibers (S-glass, 0.00485-in. diameter) were prepared and tested in an Instron machine at three strain rates (0.0265 in./in./min, 0.66 in./in./min and 26.5 in./in./ min). Grid lines were placed on composite specimen producing interference moiré fringes with a reference master grid placed in front of the specimen. The specimens were observed photographically during deformation. The experimental bundle strength compares well with that obtained on the basis of Daniels' theory. The experimental standard deviation is, however, much larger than that predicted theoretically. The experimental mean composite strength is compatible with that obtained on the basis of rule of mixtures and Gücer-Gurland models. The Zweben crack-propagation criterion [E ₂(f _C )=1] gives too low a value for the composite strength. A new criterion [E ₃(f_C)=1] is suggested for the present test series. Due to the rather large standard deviation and the small number of test samples it was not possible to quantitatively evaluate the effect of rate of straining. However, it is observed that, within the range of strain rates employed, the effect of strain rate on bundle and composite strengths does not exceed 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively.     

Multiaxial constitutive model accounting for the strength-differential in Inconel 718

The nickel-base alloy Inconel 718 exhibits a strength-differential, that is, a different plastic flow behavior in uniaxial tension and uniaxial compression. A phenomenological viscoplastic model founded on thermodynamics has been extended for material behavior that deviates from classical metal plasticity by including all three stress invariants in the threshold function. The model can predict plastic flow in isotropic materials with or without a flow stress asymmetry as well as with or without pressure dependence. Viscoplastic material parameters have been fit to pure shear, uniaxial tension, and uniaxial compression experimental results at 650°°C. Threshold function material parameters have been fit to the strength-differential. Four classes of threshold functions have been considered and nonproportional loading of hollow tubes, such as shear strain followed by axial strain, has been used to select the most applicable class of threshold function for the multiaxial model as applied to Inconel 718 at 650 °C. These nonproportional load paths containing corners provide a rigorous test of a plasticity model, whether it is time-dependent or not. A J₂J₃ class model, where J₂ and J₃ are the second and third effective deviatoric stress invariants, was found to agree the best with the experimental results.     

The behavior of cracked cross-ply composite laminates under shear loading

An interlaminar-shear-stress analysis developed earlier by Tsai et al. (1990, Micro-cracking-Induced Damage in Composites) for a [φ_m/θ_n], bi-directional composite laminate is used to solve the case of a cross-ply [0_m/90_n]_x laminate with the 90° layer only or both layers cracked under pure shear loading. Strains, forces and laminate shear modulus reduction due to matrix cracking were obtained. Experimental results for shear modulus as a function of crack densities were obtained by a simple shear test and they agree very well with the theoretical prediction.     

Fatigue and fretting fatigue of ion-nitrided 34CrNiMo6 steel

This work is concerned with the surface treatment (ion nitriding) of fretting fatigue and fatigue resistance of 34CrNiMo6. Tests are made on a servo-hydraulic machine under tension for both treated and non-treated specimens. The test parameters involve the applied displacements δ±80–±170 μm; fretting pressure σ_n=1000–1400 MPa; fatigue stress amplitude σ_a=380–680 MPa and stress ratio R=−1. The ion nitriding process improves both fatigue and fretting fatigue lives. Subsurface crack initiation from internal discontinuities was found for ion-nitrided specimens.     

Influence of mean stress on the fatigue crack growth characreristics of CrlMo steel tube at elevated temperature

The fatigue crack growth characteristics of CrlMo steel have been investigated at 861 K over the R-ratio range 0.1–0.7 utilising a dwell time of 10 min. at maximum load. All tests were conducted under load control in a laboratory air environment. It was established that the R-ratio significantly affected the fatigue crack extension behaviour inasmuch that with increasing R-ratio, the critical ΔK level for the onset of creep fatigue interactive growth, ΔK^IG, decreased from 20 to 7 MPa√m and the threshold stress intensity, ΔK_th, decreased from 9 to about 3 MPa√m. At intermediate ΔK levels, i.e. between ΔK_th and ΔK^IG, the fatigue crack extension rates, for all R-ratio values, resided on or slightly below the CTOD line, which represents the upper bound for contrnuum controlled fatigue crack growth. Creep fatigue interactive growth was typified by crack extension rates that reside above the CTOD line with a ΔK^IG dependence; the attainment of some critical creep condition or crack linkage condition which causes the abrupt change in crack extension behaviour at ΔK^IG; and crack extension occurs almost exclusively in an intergranular manner. The R-ratio and ΔK^IG followed a linear relation. A literature review concerning the effect of temperature on the threshold fatigue crack growth characteristics of low alloy ferritic steels demonstrated powerful effects of temperature; the magnitude of these effects, however, were dependent upon the testing temperature regime and R-ratio level. The effect of R-ratio on ΔK_th was greatest at temperatures >400°C, significant at ambient temperatures and least in the temperature range 90°C to <300°C. The relationship between temperature and ΔK_th, at a given R-ratio, exhibited a through and a minimum ΔK_th value was observed in the temperature range 200–250°C. The magnitude of the temperature effects on ΔK_th decreased with increasing R-ratio. Such effects of temperature and R-ratio on ΔK_th was reasonably explained in terms of crack closure effects. Finally, the present elevated temperature fatigue crack growth data exhibited massive crack extension enhancement values when compared to ambient near-threshold fatigue crack growth data for CrlMo steel. Such large enhancement values were the combined effects of temperature (environment) and frequency.     

Delamination initiation of laminates with pin-loaded holes

A finite element analysis is conducted to determine the three-dimensional stress field in a composite laminate with a pin-loaded hole. The accuracy of computation is established by comparison with the strain gauge measurements near and away from the hole boundary. An acoustic emission technique was used to determine the initial failure load as the specimen was subjected to a quasi-static loading rate. Specimens were examined between the load steps using radiography and micrography in order to detect delamination initiation. The delamination initiation site and the corresponding load level are predicted by applying the strain energy density criterion. The critical parameters were extracted from the experimental measurements and finite element analysis of a double cantilever beam specimen. The analysis predictions indicate that delaminations could initiate close to the free surface at the interface between layers with a fiber orientation of ±45° relative to the load direction. These predictions confirm the experimental observations.     

Effect of transverse cracks on the mechanical properties of angle-ply composites laminates

A modified shear lag analysis, taking into account the notion of stress perturbation function, is employed to evaluate the effect of transverse cracks on the stiffness reduction in [±θ_n/90_m]_S angle-ply laminated composites. Effects of number of 90° layers and number of ±θ layers on the laminate stiffness have also been studied. The present results represent well the dependence of the degradation of mechanical properties on the fibre orientation angle of the outer layers, the number of cracked cross-ply layers and the number of uncracked outer ±θ layers in the laminate.     

Measurement of nonlinear damping in a Gr/Al metal-matrix composite

This paper is concerned with the measurement of nonlinear (i.e., strain amplitude dependent) intrinsic material damping in continuous-fiber-reinforced metal-matrix composites (MMC). The particular MMC studied is a four-ply [±θ] _s P55Gr/6061 Al composite with θ=0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 deg. A popular method for measuring damping is the free-decay of flexural vibrations of a cantilevered beam. However, the strain field in a cantilevered beam is inhomogeneous. Therefore, for materials whose damping is nonlinear, the measured specimen damping is not equal to the intrinsic material damping. Using an elementary algorithm develeped by Lazan, the authors extract nonlinear intrinsic material damping from the nonlinear specimen damping.     

Non-Linear response of a long,discontinuous fiber/melt system in elongational flows

The authors investigated the transient elongational behavior of a highly-aligned 600% volume fraction long, discontinuous fiber filled poly-ether-ketone-ketone melt with a computer-controlled extensional rheometer at 370°C. Prior experiments at controlled strain rate and stress produced _E ⁺ (t, ) and ^– (t, _E) similar to a shear dominated flow of a non-linear viscoelastic fluid. Stress relaxation following steady extension showed nonlinear effects in the change in stress decay rate with increasing strain rate. Continuous relaxation spectra showed a shift in the spectral peak to smaller values of with increasing strain rate. The Giesekus nonlinear constitutive relation modeled the elongation and stress relaxation with shearing rate at the fiber surface set by a strain rate magnification factor. Suitable for elongation, the model produced insufficient shift in the stress relaxation spectrum to account for the large change in stress decay rate exhibited in the experiments.English alphabet a _r aspect ratio of the fibers or l/d - A ₀ initial uniform cross-section area of the specimen - d fiber diameter - f fiber volume fraction - H() relaxation spectrum found by the method of Ferry and William l length of the fiber - L(t) time function specimen length - L ₀ initial specimen length - r radial coordinate across the shear cell - R _i fiber radius and inner cell dimension - R _o outer cell radius - t time in s - t _max duration of the extension - T _g glass transition temperature of the polymer - v velocity of the moving end of the test specimen - x axial position where is calculated Greek alphabet nonlinearity parameter in the Giesekus relation - axial mass distribution along the specimen major axis - shear strain rate - strain tensor - ₍₁₎ first convected derivative of the strain tensor - ₍₂₎ second convected derivative of the strain tensor - average strain at the end of extension as determined from - extension strain rate - average extension strain rate determined from - ^– transient strain rate under controlled stress, creep, test - _E elongational viscosity - _Eapp apparent elongational viscosity determined from - _E ⁺ transient elongational viscosity - ₀ zero shear rate viscosity - relaxation parameter - ₁ relaxation parameter in either Jeffrey's or Giesekus fluid - ₂ retardation parameter in either Jeffrey's or Giesekus fluid - _max relaxation value at which 99.9% of the H spectrum had occurred - _p relaxation value at which H reaches a maximum - volumetric composite density - _E elongational stress - _E ⁺ transient elongational stress - _E ^– controlled elongational stress, creep stress - _E ^y peak elongational stress in controlled experiment - shear stress at surface of the fiber in a shear cell - _yx simple shear component of the strain rate tensor - stress tensor - ₁ first convected derivative of the stress tensor     

Cohesive properties of nickel-alumina interfaces determined via simulation of ductile bridging experiments

A combined experimental and computational study is carried out to characterize a nickel-alumina interface in terms of the two parameter (σ̂, Γ₀) computational cohesive zone (CCZ) model of Tvergaard and Hutchinson. Experiments were performed using a sandwich specimen consisting of a thin nickel foil bonded between two pre-cracked alumina plates. The specimen was loaded in tension with the nickel foil bridging the cracks in the ceramic. Numerical simulations of the experiments were used to extract the parameters for the CCZ model.Effects of various parameters of the CCZ model are investigated and it is found that the most dominant parameter is the interface strength, σ̂. Effects of the residual thermal stresses are also investigated and it is shown that these stresses can enhance the specimen fracture toughness by almost 16%. The parameters for the nickel-alumina interface are found to be σ̂ = 148 MPa and Γ₀ = 11 J m⁻². It is observed that for the foil thicknesses tested, the work of rupture does not vary linearly with the thickness as predicted by many theoretical models. We found that interfaces which are neither too strong nor too weak contribute most to the overall fracture toughness of such a composite. Although the macroscopic loading at the nickel-alumina interface is shear, the failure is primarily tensile due to the thinning that occurs in the metal as it is stretched.