Damage Prediction of Sintered {\alpha}-SiC Using Thermo-mechanical Coupled Fracture Model

TL;DR

This paper introduces a comprehensive thermo-mechanical fracture model for predicting damage in {eta}-SiC ceramics across a wide temperature range, aiding thermal protection system design.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel three-way coupled fracture model implemented in MOOSE, integrating elasticity, damage phase field, and heat conduction modules for brittle ceramics.

Findings

Model accurately predicts flexural strength within experimental uncertainty.

Fracture toughness simulations agree with experimental data across temperatures.

Parallel computing enhances model scalability and efficiency.

Abstract

A three-way coupled thermo-mechanical fracture model is presented to predict the damage of brittle ceramics, in particular {\alpha}-SiC, over a wide range of temperatures (20-1400 C). Predicting damage over such a range of temperatures is crucial for thermal protection systems for many systems such as spacecraft. The model, which has been implemented in MOOSE, is divided into three modules: elasticity, damage phase field, and heat conduction. Analytical approaches for determining crack length scales are presented for both simple tension and simple shear. Validation tests are conducted for both flexural strength and fracture toughness over the specified range of temperatures. Flexural strength simulation results fall within the uncertainty region of the experimental data, and mode I fracture toughness simulation results are also in agreement with the experimental data. Mode II and mixed mode fracture toughness simulations results are presented with the modified G-criterion. Finally, the parallel computing capabilities of the model is considered in various scalability tests.