This practice is suitable for monolithic and some composite ceramics, for example, particulate- and whisker-reinforced and continuous-grain-boundary phase ceramics. (Long- or continuous-fiber reinforced ceramics are excluded.) For some materials, the location and identification of fracture origins may not be possible due to the specific microstructure.
This practice is principally oriented towards characterization of fracture origins in specimens loaded in so-called fast fracture testing, but the approach can be extended to include other modes of loading as well.
The procedures described within are primarily applicable to mechanical test specimens, although the same procedures may be relevant to component failure analyses as well. It is customary practice to test a number of specimens (constituting a sample) to permit statistical analysis of the variability of the material''s strength. It is usually not difficult to test the specimens in a manner that will facilitate subsequent fractographic analysis. This may not be the case with component failure analyses. Component failure analysis is sometimes aided by cutting test pieces from the component and fracturing the test pieces. Fracture markings and fracture origins from the latter may aid component interpretation.
Optimum fractographic analysis requires examination of as many similar specimens or components as possible. This will enhance the chances of successful interpretations. Examination of only one or a few specimens can be misleading. Of course, in some instances the fractographer may have access to only one or a few fractured specimens or components.
Successful and complete fractography also requires careful consideration of all ancillary information that may be available, such as microstructural characteristics, material fabrication, properties and service histories, component or specimen machining, or preparation techniques.
Fractographic inspection and analysis can be a time-consuming process. Experience will in general enhance the chances of correct interpretation and characterization, but will not obviate the need for time and patience. Repeat examinations are often fruitful. For example, a particular origin type or key feature may be overlooked in the first few test pieces of a sample set. As the fractographer gains experience by looking at multiple examples, he or she may begin to appreciate some key feature that was initially overlooked.
This practice is applicable to quality control, materials research and development, and design. It will also serve as a bridge between mechanical testing standards and statistical analysis practices to permit comprehensive interpretation of data for design. An important feature of this practice is the adoption of a consistent manner of characterizing fracture origins, including origin nomenclature. This will further enable the construction of efficient computer databases.
The irregularities which act as fracture origins in advanced ceramics can develop during or after fabrication of the material. Large irregularities (relative to the average size of the microstructural features) such as pores, agglomerates, and inclusions are typically introduced during processing and can (in one sense) be considered intrinsic to the manufacturing process. Other origins can be introduced after processing as a result of machining, handling, impact, wear, oxidation, and corrosion. These can be considered extrinsic origins. However, machining damage may be considered intrinsic to the manufacturing procedure to the extent that machining is a normal step of producing a finished specimen or component.
Regardless of how origins develop they are either inherently volume-distributed throughout the bulk of the ceramic material (for example, agglomerates, large grains, or pores) or inherently surface-distributed on the ceramic material (for example, handling damage, pits from oxida......
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