Research Frontiers in Numerical Simulation and Mechanical Modeling of Ceramic Matrix Composites: Bibliometric Analysis and Hotspot Trends from 2000 to 2025

Abstract

Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) exhibit excellent high-temperature strength, oxidation resistance, and fracture toughness, making them superior to traditional metals and single-phase ceramics in extreme environments such as aerospace, nuclear energy equipment, and high-temperature protection systems. The mechanical properties of CMCs directly influence the reliability and service life of structures; thus, accurately predicting their mechanical response and service behavior has become a core issue in current research. However, the multi-phase heterogeneity of CMCs leads to highly complex stress distribution and deformation behavior in traditional mechanical property testing, resulting in significant uncertainty in the measurement of key mechanical parameters such as strength and modulus. Additionally, the high manufacturing cost and limited experimental data further constrain material design and performance evaluation based on experimental data. Therefore, the development of effective numerical simulation and mechanical modeling methods is crucial. This paper provides an overview of the research hotspots and future directions in the field of CMCs numerical simulation and mechanical modeling through bibliometric analysis using the CiteSpace software. The analysis reveals that China, the United States, and France are the leading research contributors in this field, with 422, 157, and 71 publications and 6170, 3796, and 2268 citations, respectively. At the institutional level, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (166 publications; 1700 citations), Northwestern Polytechnical University (72; 1282), and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) (49; 1657) lead in publication volume and/or citation influence. Current research hotspots focus on finite element modeling, continuum damage mechanics, multiscale modeling, and simulations of high-temperature service behavior. In recent years, emerging research frontiers such as interface debonding mechanism modeling, acoustic emission monitoring and damage correlation, multiphysics coupling simulations, and machine learning-driven predictive modeling reflect the shift in CMCs research, from traditional experimental mechanics and analytical methods to intelligent and predictive modeling.