抄録
Following the previous report, the strength distribution of ceramics was simulated by the Monte-Carlo method for the case in which the lower limit existed in the strength of ceramics. In this study, the tensile strength, 3-point and 4-point bending strengths of specimens of four different sizes were calculated, by using the model specimens with a number of penny-shaped inner cracks. In order to investigate the change of strength distribution of ceramics due to the size effect, the strength obtained was plotted on the Weibull probability paper. It was found that the shape of strength distribution was convex for the specimens of large effective volume, while it was concave for those of small effective volume. The strength distribution function for this model was also expressed and compared with the simulation results. As a result, both distributions showed good agreement in the range of fracture probability greater than a few percents.
Furthermore, the relation between the mean strength and the effective volume was discussed. As the strength of the specimens varied between the lower and upper limits, its relation was represented by a inverse S-shape curve on the logarithmic graph paper.
