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The modern polycrystalline composite materials have a complex internal structure consisting of different phases and interfaces with random distribution. Relevant examples are Al 2 O 3 /ZrO 2 , i.e. alumina/zirconia composites, widely used as structural materials with applications ranging from aerospace to bio-engineering. Depending on the phases content and on the grain size a broad range of material characteristics, among which elastic constants, can be obtained. With the aim of characterizing this class of materials, we exploit a numerical Fast Statistical Homogenization Procedure (FSHP) in order to both estimate the size of the Representative Volume Elements (RVE) and the effective elastic properties, assuming a linear elastic material behaviour. The 2-D analyses are performed considering a microstructure inspired by images of real portions of the Al 2 O 3 /ZrO 2 composite obtained from a scanning electron microscope. The recent Virtual Element Method is used in combination with the FSHP approach to numerically solve boundary value problems. Different volume contents of phases are considered ranging from pure Alumina to pure zirconia. The results are useful to reliably characterize such materials in the elastic range taking into account the role played by random distribution of grains. [Display omitted] • Homogenization of random Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC). • Fast identification of the homogenized moduli with the Virtual Element Method. • Parametric analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many efforts have been made in recent years to determine the fracture toughness of different types of foams in static and dynamic loading conditions. Taking into account that there is no standard method for the experimental determination of the fracture toughness of plastic foams different procedures and specimens were used. This paper presents the polyurethane foam fracture toughness results obtained for different foam densities. Two types of specimens were used for determining fracture toughness in modes I, II and a mixed one, and also the size effect, loading speed and loading direction were investigated. The paper proposed correlations for density, cell orientation and mixed mode loading based on the experimental testing results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of laboratory tests of CFRP (carbon fiber-reinforced polymer) laminates, which allowed the development of numerical material models. The obtained data were used in a further stage to perform numerical simulations of four variants of medical tabletops, differing, among other features, in the shape of the cross-section. Maximum deflections and effort in the composite material were analyzed. The final step was to perform a laboratory test for one of the tabletop versions, the results of which confirmed the correctness of the numerical calculations. This work is aimed at both researchers and designers involved in the practical application of fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composites.

Modeling metal matrix composites in finite element software requires incorporating a cohesive zone model (CZM) to represent the interface between the constituent materials. The CZM determines the behavior of traction-separation (T-S) in this region. Specifically, when a diffusion zone is formed due to heat treatment, it becomes challenging to determine experimentally the equivalent mechanical properties of the interface. Additionally, understanding the influence of heat treatment and the creation of a diffusion zone on the T-S law is crucial. In this study, the molecular dynamics approach was employed to investigate the effect of the diffusion region formation, resulting from heat treatment, on the T-S law at the interface of a SiC/Al composite in tensile, shear, and mixed-mode loadings. It was found that the formation of a diffusion layer led to an increase in tensile and shear strengths and work of separation compared with the interfaces without heat treatment. However, the elastic and shear moduli were not significantly affected by the creation of the diffusion layer. Moreover, the numerical findings indicated that the shear strength in the diffusion region was higher when compared with the shear strength of the {111} slip plane within the fcc aluminum component of the composite material. Therefore, in the diffusion region, crack propagation did not occur in the pure shear loading case; however, shear sliding was observed at the aluminum atomic layers.

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a manufacturing process that many industries have adopted to join metals in a solid state, resulting in unique properties. However, studying aspects like temperature distribution, stress distribution, and material flow experimentally is challenging due to severe plastic deformation in the weld zone. Therefore, numerical methods are utilized to investigate these parameters and gain a better understanding of the FSW process. Numerical models are employed to simulate material flow, temperature distribution, and stress state during welding. This allows for the identification of potential defect-prone zones. This paper presents a comprehensive review of research activities and advancements in numerical analysis techniques specifically designed for friction stir welding, with a focus on their applicability to component manufacturing. The paper begins by examining various types of numerical methods and modeling techniques used in FSW analysis, including finite element analysis, computational fluid dynamics, and other simulation approaches. The advantages and limitations of each method are discussed, providing insights into their suitability for FSW simulations. Furthermore, the paper delves into the crucial variables that play a significant role in the numerical modeling of the FSW process.

Silicon carbide foam is a material that can be used as reinforcement of interpenetrated composites. This paper presents an analysis of such a foam subjected to low and fast compression. The analysis is performed using the peridynamics (PD) method. This approach allows for an evaluation of failure modes and such effects of microcracks nucleation, their growth, and, finally, fragmentation. Furthermore, the material appears to behave qualitatively and quantitatively differently while subjected to low- and high-speed steel piston movement. Under slow compression case, damage appears in the entire specimen, but the shape of the structure is not changing significantly, whereas during the fast compression the sample is dynamically fragmented.