A VORONOI CELL FINITE-ELEMENT MODEL FOR PARTICLE CRACKING IN ELASTIC-PLASTIC COMPOSITE-MATERIALS

In this paper, a small deformation Voronoi Cell finite element model i s developed for damage in particle reinforced composite materials by p article cracking and splitting. It incorporates a ductile elastic-plas tic matrix material containing any dispersion of brittle elastic inclu sions of arbitrary shapes and sizes. Damage initiation by micro-cracki ng or splitting of the :inclusions is assumed to follow a maximum prin cipal stress theory or Rankine criterion. Complete particle cracking o r splitting is assumed at the onset of damage. The model accounts for microstructure evolution through progressive particle fracture in comp lex morphologies without any user interference. Various microstructura l morphologies are simulated to verify the effectiveness of the model. Analysis df real microstructures from optical micrographs of Al-Si-Mg composite systems, is conducted to demonstrate the promise of this nu merical model.