Influence of phase transformation on subcritical crack growth in numerical modelling of a ceramic composite

The aim of the work is to establish the method of numerical simulation of stress induced transformation of ZrO2 from the tetragonal to monoclinic phase which takes place at the crack tip in two-phase Al2O3– ZrO2 ceramic composite. It is the base for the future crack growth numerical simulations in composite with the use of FEM models with the real grain size distribution and shape. The preliminary analysis allows us to estimate influence of phase transformation of the composite on the cracking resistance.