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The Compressive Strength of Ceramics

  • Conference paper
Ceramics in Severe Environments

Part of the book series: Materials Science Research ((MSR,volume 5))

Abstract

The literature on compressive strengths of crystalline ceramics, especially at room temperature, suggests that microplasticity may be the mechanism of much compressive failure since (2) the yield stress (microhardness/3) is the upper limit of both ambient and elevated temperature compressive strengths and (2) data on grain size dependence are consistent with the Fetch equation. A failure theory is developed which is in accord with (1) experimentally observed variations in microhardness and compressive strength data, (2) stress concentrations due to thermal and mechanical anisotropies, impurities, pores and flaws, and (3) twin-induced premature fracture. Applicability of the theory is evaluated for crystalline ceramics in terms of conventional flaw theories, and relevance for non-crystalline ceramics is discussed.

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  1. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D. C., USA

    R. W. Rice

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  1. Department of Materials Engineering, North Carolina State University, USA

    Wurth W. Kriegel

  2. Department of Engineering Research, North Carolina State University, USA

    Hayne Palmour III

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Rice, R.W. (1971). The Compressive Strength of Ceramics. In: Kriegel, W.W., Palmour, H. (eds) Ceramics in Severe Environments. Materials Science Research, vol 5. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-3141-4_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-3141-4_14

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