INFLUENCE OF RESIDUAL-STRESSES ON THE MEC HANICAL-BEHAVIOR OF CERAMIC-MATRIX COMPOSITES

Residual stresses are inherent in composite materials elaborated at hi gh temperature and combining fibers and a matrix having different ther mophysical properties. This article discusses the influence of residua l stresses on the main parts of the tension constitutive law of compos ites with continuous fibers. It is illustrated using the experimental results obtained for composites of the C/SIC and SIC/SIC family (silic on carbide matrix reinforced respectively by carbon or silicon carbon fibers), and calculations and measurements of residual stresses at the fiber/matrix scale. The influence of the properties of the constituen ts and the interphases and of the various structural parameters is exa mined.