Elucidating the effect of cohesive zone length in fracture simulations of particulate composites

The influence of the cohesive zone length on the crack driving force is quantified and analyzed in a representative system of particles dispersed in a matrix of a composite material. For heterogeneous material systems, e.g. particulate composites, it is known that as a crack approaches the particles, the crack driving force may increase ...

Numerical Investigation into the Effect of Splats and Pores on the Thermal Fracture of Air Plasma-Sprayed Thermal Barrier Coatings

The effect of splat interfaces on the fracture behavior of air plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings (APS-TBC) is analyzed using finite element modeling involving cohesive elements. A multiscale approach is adopted in which the explicitly resolved top coat microstructural features are embedded in a larger domain. Within the computational...

A micromechanical fracture analysis to investigate the effect of healing particles on the overall mechanical response of a self-healing particulate composite

A computational fracture analysis is conducted on a self-healing particulate composite employing a finite element model of an actual microstructure. The key objective is to quantify the effects of the actual morphology and the fracture properties of the healing particles on the overall mechanical behaviour of the (MoSi2) particle-dispersed...

Computational investigation of porosity effects on fracture behavior of thermal barrier coatings

The influence of microstructural pore defects on fracture behaviour of Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBC) is analysed using finite element analysis involving cohesive elements. A concurrent multiscale approach is utilised whereby the microstructural features of the TBC are explicitly resolved within a unit cell embedded in a larger domain. Within...

Modelling the fracture behaviour of thermal barrier coatings containing healing particles

The performance of a self-healing Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) containing dispersed healing particles depends crucially on the mismatch in thermomechanical properties between the healing particles and the TBC matrix. The present work systematically investigates this phenomenon based on numerical simulations using cohesive element-based finite...

Modelling fracture and healing in particulate composite systems

Research in the field of self-healing materials gained significant attention in the last decade owing to its promise of enhanced durability of the material components in engineering applications. Though the research has led to several successful demonstrations, extensive experimental tests will be required for a successful demonstration. Further...

A cohesive-zone crack healing model for self-healing materials

A cohesive zone-based constitutive model, originally developed to model fracture, is extended to include a healing variable to simulate crack healing processes and thus recovery of mechanical properties. The proposed cohesive relation is a composite-type material model that accounts for the properties of both the original and the healing...

Effect of pre-existing microstructural defects on elastic and fracture properties of composites

The objective of this research is to explore the effect of microstructural defects on the mechanical properties of fiber reinforced composites. In particular, two kinds of defects are considered in the study, namely, matrix pores and interface precracks. Three-dimensional (3-D) finite element analyses are conducted on Representative Volume...