Fracture Resistance of Residually-Stressed Ceramic Laminated Structures

We have studied the effect of residual stresses on fracture resistance and crack arrest behavior of asymmetric ceramic laminated Si ₃ N ₄/Si ₃ N ₄–TiN structures. Using the compliance method, we assessed the technique of R-curve construction for laminar composites. For laminar structures with layers varying by their elastic characteristics we developed an analytical method for calculation of fracture resistance – crack length dependence. The method applicability is verified by calculation of stress intensity factors for laminar specimens with an edge crack. The calculated results are compared to the experimental data.