Abstract
The self-healing fiber-reinforced ceramics (shFRC) is a new functional material. When a crack propagates in this material, self-healing occurs due to high-temperature oxidation. Then, the strength of the material recovers to its initial state because the crack is re-bonded. However, to effectively realize this self-healing function, crack bifurcation phenomena have to be controlled. The strength of shFRC is suddenly decreased if the fibers are broken by crack propagation. Therefore, the optimal structural design, in which the crack is induced in the interface of the fiber, is one of the key factors for developing shFRC. In this study, we investigated the crack propagation using the Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Then, we introduced a cohesive-zone model of the matrix, fiber, and the interface to express crack propagation. Using FEA, we analyzed optimized condition with respect to the composite ratio under varying dimensions of the matrix, fiber and non-oxide layers, and energy release rates.
