Thermo-mechanical analysis of alumina-zirconia composites by a hybrid finite element method

In the present work a hybrid finite element method, based on the Voronoi Cell method, is proposed for the thermo-mechanical analysis of heterogeneous materials containing cracks. The proposed method uses two hybrid elements to model the second phase heterogeneities of the material and the crack tips. The method was used to analyze alumina-zirconia ceramic materials; specifically, effective elastic moduli, thermal expansion coefficients and stress intensity factors were calculated. The effects due to zirconia t -> m phase transformation and thermal stresses, which develop during the cooling stage of sintering, were also taken into account in calculating the stress intensity factor.