Crack wake interaction

To achieve increased crack deflection and crack-wake interaction in SiC the microstructure can be modified in various ways ... 

Tensile fracture in SiC-based composites will only occur after a large enough load is applied to exceed the compressive stress in the process zone formed along the crack path. In order to achieve an increased crack deflection and crack-wake interaction in SiC, the microstructure can be modified in various ways ... 

It is well known that crack propagation properties are related to bridging effect and this effect is more pronounced in coarse-grained materials [24 27]. Coarse-grain alumina shows an R-curve behavior which is characterized by an increase in crack resistance with crack extension, due to crack surface interaction in the crack wake [28 29]. This R-curve behavior is due to the stresses required to overcome the traction of interlocking grains and pullout of unbroken ligaments in the wake of the crack. 

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