Investigation of failure mechanism of Al2O3 specimens subjected to three-point bending test

Abstract

Experimental loading and FEM simulation-based approach at macroscale are utilized to investigate the failure mechanisms of Al2O3 ceramics. Experimental characterization of the microstructure is carried out using SEM. Recently the mesoscale models of a representative volume of porous alumina ceramics were built on the basis of grain and pore distribution patterns and subjected to uniaxial loading in order to determine effective mechanical characteristics which are utilized for macroscopic simulation in this work. Pre-fracture behavior of specimens undergoes the Drucker-Prager model with non-associated plastic flow rule. Experimental and numerical simulation fracture patterns show that material exhibits predominantly mode I, sometimes passing to mixed mode I+II of crack propagation. Comparison of experimental data and numerical simulation data gives a good agreement.