MICROSTRUCTURALLY-BASED ANALYSIS AND COMPUTATIONAL MODELING OF SHOCK CONSOLIDATION

The most important microstructural processes involved in shock consoli dation are identified and illustrated for a nickel-based superalloy an d silicon carbide. Interparticle melting, vorticity, voids, and partic le fracture are observed. Various energy dissipation processes are ide ntified and analyzed: plastic deformation, interparticle friction, mic rokinetic energy, defect generation. An analytical expression is propo sed for the energy requirement to shock consolidate a powder as a func tion of strength, size, porosity, and temperature, based on a prescrib ed interparticle melting layer. These analytical results are compared to numerical solutions obtained by modeling the compaction of a discre te set of particles with an Eulerian finite element program. Based on the Analysis and computations, the inherent limitations of shock conso lidation are identified and discussed.