Size-Scaling of Tensile Failure Stress in a Hot-Pressed Silicon Carbide

Quasi-static Weibull strength-size scaling of hot-pressed silicon carbide is described. Two surface conditions (uniaxial ground and uniaxial ground followed by grit blasting) were explored. Strength test coupons sampled effective areas from the very small (4 × 10⁻³ mm²) to the very large (4 × 10⁴ mm²). Equibiaxial flexure and Hertzian ring crack initiation were used for the strength tests, and characteristic strengths for several different specimen geometries were analyzed as a function of effective area. Characteristic strength was found to substantially increase with decreased effective area for both surface conditions. Weibull moduli of 9.4- and 11.7 well-represented strength-size scaling for the two ground conditions between an effective area range of 10⁻¹ and 4 × 10⁴ mm². Machining damage was observed to be the dominant flaw type over this range. However, for effective areas <10⁻¹ mm², the characteristic strength increased rapidly for both ground surface conditions as the effective area decreased, and one or more of the inherent assumptions behind the classical Weibull strength-size scaling were in violation in this range. The selections of a ceramic strength to account for ballistically induced tile deflection and expanding cavity modeling are considered in context with the measured strength-size scaling. The observed size-scaling is briefly discussed with reference to dynamic strength.