Abstract
Micro-mechanisms of crack-tip shielding associated with the growth of fatigue cracks in metalmatrix composites are examined with specific emphasis on the role of crack bridging by uncracked ligaments. Simple analytical models are developed for such bridging induced by both overlapping cracks and by coplanar ligaments in the wake of the crack tip; the models are based on respective notions of a critical tensile strain or critical crack-opening displacement in the ligament. The predicted degree of shielding derived from these mechanisms is not large, but is found to be consistent with experimental observations in high-strength P/M aluminum alloys reinforced with 15 to 20 vol pct of SiC particulate.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
A.G. Evans: inFracture Mechanics, 20th Symp., ASTM STP, R.P. Wei and R.P. Gangloff, eds., American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, PA, 1989.
R.O. Ritchie:Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 1988, vol. 103, pp. 15–28.
J. Aveston, G. Cooper, and A. Kelly: inProperties of Fiber Composites, NPL Conf. Proc., IPC Sci. & Tech. Press, Surrey, U.K., 1971, pp. 15–26.
B. Budiansky, J.W. Hutchinson, and A.G. Evans:J. Mech. Phys. Solids, 1986, vol. 34, pp. 167–89.
D.B. Marshall, B.N. Cox, and A.G. Evans:Acta Metall., 1985, vol. 33, pp. 2013–21.
L.N. McCartney:Proc. Roy. Soc., 1987, vol. A409, pp. 329–50.
L.R.F. Rose:J. Mech. Phys. Solids, 1987, vol. 35, pp. 383–405.
B. Budiansky: inProc. 10th U.S. Cong. Appl. Mech., Austin, TX, 1986.
S. Kunz-Douglass, P.W.R. Beaumont, and M.F. Ashby:J. Mater. Sci., 1980, vol. 15, pp. 1109–23.
A.G. Evans, Z.B. Ahmad, D.G. Gilbert, and P.W.R. Beaumont:Acta Metall., 1986 vol. 34, pp. 79–87.
A.G. Evans and R.M. McMeeking:Acta Metall., 1986, vol. 34, pp. 2435–41.
L.R.F. Rose:Mech. Mater. 1987, vol. 6, pp. 11–15.
P.L. Swanson, C.J. Fairbanks, B.R. Lawn, Y. Mai, and B.J. Hockey:J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 1987, vol. 70, pp. 279–89.
Y. Mai and B.R. Lawn:J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 1987, vol. 70, pp. 289–94.
W.W. Gerberich: inFracture: Interactions of Microstructure, Mechanism and Mechanics, J.M. Wells and J.D. Landes, eds., TMS-AIME, Warrendale, PA, 1984, pp. 49–74.
A.R. Rosenfield and B.S. Majumdar:Metall. Trans. A, 1987, vol. 18A, pp. 1053–59.
J.-K. Shang, W. Yu, and R.O. Ritchie:Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 1988, vol. 102, pp. 181–92.
R. Marissen: inFatigue 87, Proc. 3rd Int. Conf. on Fatigue, R.O. Ritchie and E.A. Starke, eds., EMAS Ltd., Warley, U.K., 1988, vol. 3, pp. 1271–79.
R.O. Ritchie, W. Yu, and R.J. Bucci:Eng. Fract. Mech., 1989, in press.
T. Christman and S. Suresh:Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 1988, vol. 102, pp. 211–16.
J.J. Lewandowski, C. Liu, and W.H. Hunt: inPowder Metallurgy Composites, M. Kumar, K. Vedula, and A.M. Ritter, eds., TMS-AIME, Warrendale, PA, 1987.
J.E. Srawley and B. Gross:Mat. Res. Stand., 1967, vol. 7, pp. 155–62.
R.O. Ritchie and W. Yu: inSmall Fatigue Cracks, R.O. Ritchie and J. Lankford, eds., TMS-AIME, Warrendale, PA, 1986, pp. 167–89.
R.O. Ritchie, J.F. Knott, and J.R. Rice:J. Mech. Phys. Solids, 1973, vol. 21, pp. 395–410.
J.W. Hutchinson:J. Mech. Phys. Solids, 1968, vol. 16, pp. 13–31.
J.R. Rice and G.R. Rosengren:J. Mech. Phys. Solids, 1968, vol. 16, pp. 1–12.
J.R. Rice and M.A. Johnson: inInelastic Behavior of Solids, M.F. Kanninen, W.G. Adler, A.R. Rosenfield, and R.I. Jaffee, eds., McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, 1970, pp. 641–72.
R.M. McMeeking:J. Mech. Phys. Solids, 1977, vol. 24, pp. 357–19.
T. Lin, A.G. Evans, and R.O. Ritchie:J. Mech. Phys. Solids, 1986, vol. 34, pp. 477–97.
T. Lin, A.G. Evans, and R.O. Ritchie:Metall. Trans. A, 1987, vol. 18A, pp. 641–51.
A.A. Rubinstein:Int. J. Fract., 1985, vol. 27, pp. 113–19.
H. Horii and S. Nemat-Nasser:Int. J. Solids Struct., 1985, vol. 21, pp. 731–45.
M. Hori and S. Nemat-Nasser:J. Mech. Phys. Solids., 1987, vol. 35, pp. 601–29.
A. Chudnovsky, A. Dolgopolsky, and M. Kachanov: inAdvances in Fracture Research, Proc. 6th Int. Conf. on Fracture, India, S.R. Valluriet al., eds., Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1984, vol. 2, pp. 825–32.
G.C. Sih:Handbook of Stress Intensity Factors, Lehigh University Press, Bethlehem, PA, 1972.
J.-L. Tzou, C.H. Hseuh, A.G. Evans, and R.O. Ritchie:Acta Metall., 1985, vol. 33, pp. 117–27.
C.C. Veerman and T. Muller:Eng. Fract. Mech., 1972, vol. 4, pp. 25–32.
C.F. Shih:J. Mech. Phys. Solids, 1981, vol. 29, pp. 305–30.
J.R. Rice: inMechanics and Mechanisms of Crack Growth, M.J. May, ed., British Steel Corp., London, U.K., 1974, pp. 14–39.
S. Suresh and R.O. Ritchie:Metall. Trans. A, 1982, vol. 13A, pp. 1627–31.
M.D. Thouless:J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 1988, vol. 71 pp. 408–13.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shang, J.K., Ritchie, R.O. Crack bridging by uncracked ligaments during fatigue-crack growth in SiC-reinforced aluminum-alloy composites. Metall Trans A 20, 897–908 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02651656
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02651656