Numerical and Experimental real defect Analysis for C/C-SiC under Bending load

Abstract

Defects like pores and delaminations still can not be fully prevented during the manufacturing of complex Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) structures. With the help of modern micro Computer Tomography (CT) most of the macroscopic defects can be detected with high resolution and detection reliability. Nevertheless, the influence of defects on stiffness and strength of CMC materials and structures is still not clear. Thus the ‘effect of defect’ is approached by integrating three-dimensional CT defect geometries in finite element models. The goal of the present work was to show if it is possible to predict the mechanical behaviour of C/C-SiC samples with arbitrary distributions of defects. Therefore C/C-SiC samples with delaminations and pores of varying size, number and location were simulated with linear elastic orthotropic material properties under three point bending load and compared to the respective bending test.