DESIGN AND RELIABILITY OF CERAMICS: DO MODELERS, DESIGNERS, AND FRACTOGRAPHERS SEE THE SAME WORLD?

Techniques for design and reliability analyses of structural ceramic components are now well established. Laboratory test coupon data are used in design codes to predict the fast fracture and time dependent reliability of monolithic or dispersed-phase ceramic composite components. Fractographic analysis of fractured components shows that there can be surprises, however. A few case studies are reviewed to show that components often fail from an unanticipated cause. ne reliability models make a number of assumptions that, if violated, put the predictions at risk.