EVALUATION OF INTERFACIAL PROPERTIES OF FIBER-REINFORCED CERAMIC COMPOSITES USING A MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES MICROPROBE

The application of a mechanical properties microprobe to evaluate the interfacial properties of fiber-reinforced ceramic composites is addressed. The stress-displacement relation of the embedded fiber, which is subjected to an axial loading-unloading cycle, is analyzed. The interfacial bonding, Coulomb friction at the debonded interface, Poisson's effect of the loaded fiber, and residual stresses are included in the analysis, and closed-form analytical solutions are obtained. Based on the analytical solutions, a methodology is established to extract the interfacial properties from experimental stress-displacement curves. The roles of interfacial bonding, Poisson's effect, and residual axial stresses on the residual fiber displacement after complete unloading are also addressed in the present study.