Fatigue crack growth in SiC particle reinforced Al alloy matrix composites at high and low R-ratios by in situ X-ray synchrotron tomography

Abstract

a b s t r a c tMetal matrix composites (MMCs) offer high strength, high stiffness, low density, and good fatigue resistance, while maintaining cost an acceptable level. Fatigue resistance of MMCs depends on many aspects of composite microstructure. Fatigue crack growth behavior is particularly dependent on the reinforcement characteristics and matrix microstructure. The goal of this work is to obtain a fundamental understanding of fatigue crack growth behavior in SiC particle-reinforced 2080 Al alloy composites. 'In situ X-ray synchrotron tomography was performed on two samples at low (R = 0.1) and at high (R = 0.6) R-ratios. The resulting reconstructed images were used to obtain three-dimensional (3D) rendering of the particles and fatigue crack. Behaviors of the particles and crack, as well as their interaction, were analyzed and quantified. Four-dimensional (4D) visual representations were constructed to aid in the overall understanding of damage evolution.

3D Microstructure-based finite element modeling of deformation and fracture of SiCp/Al composites

“…The deformation and fracture behavior of Particle Reinforced Metal Matrix Composites (PRMMCs), is of great importance in many applications, particularly in the automotive and aerospace industries [1]. In the literature, there are generally three approaches that have been used to study the mechanical behavior of MMCs: experimental approach [2,3], conventional analytical methods [4] and numerical modeling [5][6][7][8], each of which has its distinct advantages and limitations. Specifically, experimental studies are able to give the relationship between the microstructure and macroscopic properties, for example the stress-strain curve.…”

Microstructural characterization and mechanical property prediction of a polymer matrix composite by X-ray synchrotron tomography and spatial correlation functions

“…These datasets then can also be used to perform microstructure-based modeling to understand deformation behavior. Hence, a number of studies have utilized the capabilities of X-ray tomography to deepen the understanding of microstructure and properties of various material systems [8][9][10][11][12][13].…”

Nanoscale Three-Dimensional Microstructural Characterization of an Sn-Rich Solder Alloy Using High-Resolution Transmission X-Ray Microscopy (TXM)

“…Synchrotron-based X-ray computed tomography (CT) is an alternative powerful characterization tool that has a unique potential due to its nondestructive nature and in situ imaging capabilities (Hruby et al, 2014; Singh et al, 2014 a , 2014 b ). In conventional X-ray tomography techniques, the spatial resolution is limited by the pixel size of the charge-coupled device (CCD), to around 1 µ m (Yazzie et al, 2012).…”