Comparative Phenomenological Study of Fracture Behavior of Ceramic and Glass Foams under Compressive Stress Using In Situ X-Ray Microtomography

Abstract

This contribution is dealing with the phenomenological characterization of the cracking and damage of two different brittle foam materials (ceramic foams and glass foams) under compressive load. The compression tests were performed in situ in X-ray microtomograph in order to visualize the formation of single crack and crack patterns in 3D. Successive microtomographic scans at different levels of compression strain provide an insight into the stressed microstructure of the ceramic and glass foams. The linked evaluation of the microtomographic scans and registered load-displacement curves clarify the different mechanical response of ceramic and glass foams. Both, ceramic and glass foams show in the early stages of load nearly elastic response. The compressive loading above the elastic region induces different behavior. Ceramic foams response with local failure of single struts and edges to increasing loading. In case of glass foams, the response is depending on whether the cells are predominantly open or close. Predominantly open cell glass foams features very brittle behavior whereas close cell glass foams show pseudo-ductile behavior with a formation of a crushing band transversal to the loading direction.