TENSILE BEHAVIOR OF MICROCRACKING SIC-TIB2 COMPOSITES

The stress-strain behavior of microcracking SIC-TIB2 composites was st udied using uniaxial tensile tests. The nonlinear stress-strain behavi or provided the critical stresses for microcracking (defined as the pr oportional limit) and the magnitude of residual strain release as a co nsequence of stress-induced microcracking. The release of residual str ain was confirmed using the loading-unloading process. Both the critic al stress for the nonlinear stress-strain curve and the release of res idual strain mere used to establish the maximum principal stress as th e stress criterion for microcracking.