This article presents the results of a combined experimental and analytical study of the effects of ductile-layer thickness on the initiation toughness and resistance-curve behavior of nickel aluminide composites that are reinforced with ductile V and Nb-15Al-40Ti layers. The initiation toughness and specimen-independent steady-state toughness values are shown to increase with increasing layer thickness. Stable crack growth and toughening in the crack-arrestor orientation are also attributed to crack bridging and the interactions of crack tips with the ductile layers. The overall toughening in the microlaminates is modeled by superposing the shielding contributions due to crack bridging on the stress-intensity factor required to promote renucleation ahead of the first ductile layer ahead of the precrack. The implications of the results are also discussed for the design of ductile phasetoughened microlaminates.
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