Modeling the impact of microcracking on the thermoelasticity of porous and microcracked ceramics.

The foundations of theIntegrity Factor Modelare laid down and the model is discussed. The calculation of the internal stresses in microcracked materials (as a function of temperature) is done on the basis of both the macroscopic dilation and the lattice expansion measured by diffraction. The derivation is made starting from first principles for a single crystal, and then extending the approach to polycrystals, including complex microstructures, such as those containing porosity, microcracks, and multiple phases. Focus is cast on the fundamentals of the relationship between material properties and microstructure of anisotropic crystals, and on the resulting macroscopic behavior. The model is validated against experimental data, with the examples of the microcracked β-eucryptite and porous microcracked aluminum titanate composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]