Viscous Sintering under a Uniaxial Load

An analysis is presented for viscous sintering under a uniaxial load; numerical results are presented for compressive loads. The load increases the axial contraction rate, hut counteracts the radial contraction rate. When the load is similar in magnitude to the capillary stress driving sintering, the radius remains essentially constant as the body densifies. Following a suggestion by Bordia, the viscosity and sintering kinetics can be determined in one experiment by measuring the axial and radial shrinkages simultaneously.