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.