The features of fracture processes of the ceramic composite

The phenomenon of material fracture spans many different length scales. The paper is devoted to the numerical investigation of the features of fracture processes in aluminazirconia composite ceramics at the mesoscale subjected to uniaxial compression. A structural model of the composite mesovolume based on the experimental SEM image is adopted. The mechanical behavior of the composite is described by a constitutive model of the damageable elastic-brittle medium. Two local fracture criteria are used that are based on the limit values of damage and tensile pressure. The energy dissipation process in the ceramic composite mesovolume during damage accumulation is analyzed. It is shown that the damage accumulation results in nonlinear dissipation of potential energy and the following kinetic energy increase. The last is accompanied by the appearance and growth of cracks in matrix and inclusions at the final stages of deformation.