Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering

©
Vol. 22, No. 4 (2018) 1099–1109
Lodz University of Technology

Numerical Study of Residual Thermal Stresses in MMC

Tayeb Nehari
Institute of Sciences and Technology
University Center Bejhadj Bouchaib
Ain Temouchent 46000, Algeria
[email protected]

Received (19 May 2018)

Revised (21 July 2018)
Accepted (25 December 2018)

In this paper, numerical study analysis of residual thermal stresses in aluminum matrix
reinforced with silicon carbide particles with double- crack has been carried out. is stud-
ied in order to determine the thermo-mechanical behavior under the effect of different
temperature gradients during cooling. For a more realistic simulation of the microstruc-
ture of these materials subjected to different loadings, a representative volume element
may be used. In this paper, three different types of crack width a = 5 µm, 10 µm, 15
µm, has been carried. The thermal residual stresses are calculated by considering a wide
range of cracks of different penetrations proximity to particle of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 µm.
regarding the distribution of the stresses along the plane of the crack and in vicinity of
the particle, results show that the penetration of the crack in the matrix causes an asym-
metry. The inter-distance between crack and particle plays an important role regarding
the generation of residual stresses. The lower the inter-distance, the higher the internal
stresses of normal residual stresses of σzz .
Keywords: MMC, thermal residual stress, crack.

1. Introduction
Nowadays, metal matrix composite materials (MMC) have become important ma-
terials in enormous applications, due to their high strength-to-density ratio and
excellent wear resistances. During cooling down from manufacturing temperature
to room temperature, due to the fact that the constituent materials have different
coefficients of thermal expansion, thermal residual stresses are produced, and this
affects the mechanical behaviour of MMCs.
The use of composite materials is limited by the lack of efficient tools to predict
their degradation and lifetime under service loads, environment and the process
induced residual stresses. For a more realistic simulation of the microstructure of
these materials subjected to mechanical, thermal or thermo-mechanical loadings,
a representative volume element may be used. In the investigations applying FE
1100 Nehari, T.

method, one common procedure is the numerical generation of a RVE or a unit cell
(UC) of the material being studied. A RVE or a UC is a statistical representation
of the material [6].
A spherical symmetric model has been employed to calculate thermal residual
stresses in Al/SiC particle metal matrix composites [16]. The numerical analysis
revealed that residual stresses within the matrix increases when the particulate
volume fraction is enhanced. [13] have studied the effects of inclusion shape on
residual stresses of MMCs by finite element analysis. Results showed that the use
of a cube shaped particle, with sharp corners and edges in the unit cell model,
lead to much greater initial hardening behavior than the spherical inclusions and
therefore to a greater 0.2% offset yield stress due to stress/strain localization at the
particle corners and edges.
[15] In this investigation is to determine the influence of crack penetration in the
case a = 5 µm and for d = 0.2, 0.5, 2 µm with different temperature gradients to
determine the residual thermal stresses and the subsequent mechanical behaviour
for the Al–SiC composite.
The numerical investigation of Ye et al [18] which is about the prediction of the
crack propagation and the effect of reinforcing particles to the crack propagation
behaviour of Al2O3/Al6061 composite materials has revealed that for the model
without reinforcing particles, the stress field near the crack tip is very uniform. The
decrease of the stress magnitude away from the crack tip is very gradual. For the
model with reinforcing particles, the stress field is not as uniform as it is for the
model without reinforcing particles. The disturbance of the stress field is caused
by the reinforcing particles, which has different Young’s modulus than the matrix
material.
The same phenomenon has been previously reported by Ayyar et al. [3, 4]. In addi-
tion, it was observed by the authors that less stress concentration exists around the
crack tip in the model with reinforcing particles than the model without reinforc-
ing particles, hence, the importance of the use the reinforcing particles to improve
fatigue resistance of the materials.
The amount of the normal internal stresses introduced in the matrix and the
particle increase with increasing the reheating temperature, a twofold increase in
reheating temperature resulted in a twofold increase in equivalent stress as well [5].
The fatigue crack propagation in the MMC bi-material system slows down in
the MMC layer side and maximum crack retardation occurs on the boundary of the
bi-material system, and Crack in the metal matrix composite layer initiates in the
particle-matrix interface and propagates through the base material [8].
In this paper, I present the effect of the penetration of a micro-crack with double-
crack (with crack penetration proximity to particle of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 µm) on the
thermo-mechanical behavior of a microstructure of a composite of aluminum matrix
reinforced with silicon carbide particles subjected to different temperature gradients
(cooling process). This was done using the finite element method to numerically
predict the residual thermal stresses acting on the microstructure. Only the damage
double crack in the aluminum matrix was considered in the present investigation.
The simulations were done with Abaqus [1].
 Numerical Study of Residual Thermal Stresses in MMC 1101

2. Thermo-mechanical model
In this study I studied thermal residuel stress of the MMC, of matrix (Al) and
reinforced particles (SiC) was proposed, as shown in Fig. 1 (a). Proposed system
was symmetrical, to reduce the calculation; dimensions of the model and mechanical
properties of MMC, are presented in Table 1, Table 2.

Table 1 Dimensions of metal matrix composite [13]

Dimensions of model Length Width Thickness Diameter of particle
(MMC) µm µm µm µm
160 160 80 20

Table 2 Mechanical properties of Al and SiC used in FEM simulations [3]

Properties Matrix (Al) Particle (SiC)
Material elastic–plastic isotropic elastic
Modulus of elasticity 70(GPa) 408(GPa)
Poisson ratio 0.3 0.2
Yield strength 275 /
CTE 23.4x10-6(◦ C-1) 12.5x10-6(◦ C-1)

This composite has been subjected to a thermal cycle of preheating to T0 followed

by cooling to the ambient temperature. It is assumed that the absolute temperature
field is homogeneous and that its evolution given by:

T (t) = T0 + T̃ .t (1)

Where T0 is the initial temperature, t is time and T̃ is the temperature rate, which
is considered constant during cooling. Here, the initial temperature is considered
for several cases T0 = 120◦ C, 220◦ C, 320◦ C, 420◦ C, 520◦ C and 620◦ C, whereas the
final temperature is maintained equal to the ambient temperature (Tend = 20◦ C),
and the constant cooling rate was considered T̃ = −100◦ KS −1 .
The calculations were performed using “ABAQUS “version 6.11. due to stress
concentration, the precision of numerical method is strongly related to the quality
of the designed mesh surrounding the particles and also to the zone containing
the crack. Therefore, a 4 node linear tetrahedron (C3D4) finite element was used
for modeling. The accuracy of the model was verified by comparing stress results
with two other mesh densities, one with twice the number of elements and one
with a coarse mesh having half the number of elements. The satisfactory model
containing a spherical inclusion consists of 54625 elements shown in figure 1 b.
Residual stresses fields were determined in Al (SiC) composites with 20 per cent
volume fraction of reinforcement material.
1102 Nehari, T.

(a)The assumed MMC model (b)The finite element mesh

Figure 1 Modeling a particle-reinforced composite

3. Results and discussion

3.1. Stress distribution in the vertical orientation during thermal sim-
ulation at (∆T= 300 ◦ C)
The increase of the residual stresses between matrix and particle depend on the
disagreement of the thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) and the modulus of elas-
ticity and the coefficient of the fish between the matrix (Al) and the particle (SiC).
Thus, the mismatch between the elasticity / plastic characteristics and the thermal
expansion of the matrix and particle leads to an inhomogeneous plastic yield during
thermal loading. This imbalance causes large stresses in the particles.
In the Figure 2 shows the distribution of Von mises and normal residual stress
of the MMC when at ∆T = 300◦ C. I noticed higher stress are introduced at the
vicinity of the matrix–particle interface, these stresses are devlopper by traction or
compression between matrix and particle as previously mentioned by disagreement
of the characteristics between matrix and particle.
This stress decreases radially away from the center of the particle and tends to
a negligible value to the extremity of the elementary volume.
From the distribution of the normal stresses along the z axis (Fig. 2.d) we notice
clearly that the tensile stresses distribution in the matrix is homogeneous and the
spherical with respect to center of the particle whose values are comparable to the
stresses σxx . The compressive stresses are in the interior of the particle and are of
the order of five times greater than those of the tensile. Far from the particle, this
stress takes low values in the matrix.
Fig. 3a shows the corresponding distribution Von Mises stress in the matrix for
a composite cool down from melting temperature (620◦ C) to room temperature
(20◦ C). for the finite element method simulation at Width crack 10 µm and 0.5 µm
interdistance. High Von Mises stress is developed in the particle, particle/matrix
interface. The composites with higher SiC content exhibited higher Von Mises
stress. The higher the reheating temperature, the greater the Von Mises stress
 Numerical Study of Residual Thermal Stresses in MMC 1103

will be. These residual stress distributions are symmetrical about the axis vertical,
showing the local influence of the indentation of the impactor.
The stress in a typical unit cell model three dimensions are shown in the Fig.
3 which shows the two kind of stress distribution after the cool-down from the
melting temperature i.e. radial stress and hoop stress. Radial and hoop stresses
act as compressive and tensile forces at interface in between the particle and matrix
respectively.

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

Figure 2 Von-Mises and normal residual stress distribution (double-crack) for: d = 0.2 µm,
a = 10 µm at: ∆T = 300◦ C: a)σvm , b) σxx , c) σyy and d) σzz

The distribution of normal residual stresses of Fig. 3b following x (longitudinal

direction of the model). The model is subjected to a state of compression on the
face opposite to the impact and to a state of traction along the y-axis (transverse
direction of the model) of figure.3c a tensile pressure force of 10MPa is applied
on the upper surface plane is quite logical. These residual stress distributions are
symmetrical about the axis y.
The distribution of the normal residual stress following z is given of figure 3d.
Almost the entire thickness of the model is in compression, MMC composites have
a better resistance in compression than in tension. The current results show that the
1104 Nehari, T.

values normal internal stresses introduced in the matrix and the particle increase
with increasing the reheating temperature.

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

Figure 3 Von-Mises and normal residual stress distribution (double-crack) for: d = 0.5 µm,
a = 10 µm, a) σvm , b) σxx , c) σyy and d) σzz

3.2. The effect of the size crack longitudinal on the matrix and particle
Since the residual stresses are greater along the z-axis, I calculate this axis for three
penetration penetrations for inter-distance: d = 0.1 µm; d = 0.2 µm and d = 0.5
µm, and crack width a = 5 µm; a = 10 µm and a = 15 µm. After observing the
three calculation penetrations (the curves presented in Figures 10 to 18) the residual
stress values are higher than those obtained in the case of the single crack (nehari
et al [13]). This means that the double crack generates additional residual stresses.
Figures. 4, 5, 6 illustrates the variation of the normal residual stresses with respect
to the z axis. increasing the width of the crack leads to an increase in residual
stresses.
 Numerical Study of Residual Thermal Stresses in MMC 1105

The inter-distance between crack and particle plays an important role for the gen-
eration of residual stresses. The shorter the inter-distance (closer to the particle),
the higher the normal residual stresses of the next z. (See Table 3, 4 and 5).
I noticed that the larger the crack width (a), the larger the subsequent residual
stress (z) increased. (See Table 3, 4.5).

Figure 4 Normal residual stress distribution σzz for: d = 0.1 µm,(a) a = 5 µm,(b) a = 10 µm,(c)
a = 15 µm
1106 Nehari, T.

Figure 5 Normal residual stress distribution σzz for: d = 0.2 µm,(a) a = 5 µm,(b) a = 10 µm,(c)
a = 15 µm

Table 3 Residual stress maximal σzz for d = 0.1µm

Width for crack a [µm] 5 10 15
Residual stresses σ max -468 -490 -538
[MPa]
 Numerical Study of Residual Thermal Stresses in MMC 1107

Figure 6 Normal residual stress distribution σzz for: d = 0.5 µm,(a) a = 5 µm,(b) a = 10 µm,(c)
a = 15 µm

Table 4 Residual stress maximal σzz for d = 0.2µm

Width for crack a [µm] 5 10 15
Residual stresses σ max -475 -495 -504
[MPa]

Table 5 Residual stress maximal σzz for d = 0.5 µm

Width for crack a [µm] 5 10 15
Residual stresses σ max -500 -502 -503
[MPa]
1108 Nehari, T.

4. Conclusions
In the present study, to determine the influence of double crack penetration and
gradient temperature on the generation of residual thermal stresses and mechanical
behaviour for the Al–SiC composite. Findings from this Investigation are listed
below:
1. Inter-distance between crack and particle plays an important role regarding
the generation of residual stresses. The lower the inter-distance, the higher
the internal stresses of normal residual stresses of σ zz .
2. The level of equivalent internal stress of Von Mises stress and normal residual
stresses for double crack is more significant as the crack alone.
3. I noted that the larger the crack width of 5 µm, 10 µm and 15 µm, plus the
residual stress of σ zz increased.
4. The values normal internal stresses introduced in the matrix and the particle
increase with increasing the reheating temperature.
5. Extensive residual stresses are generated, mostly at the interface matrix, par-
ticle.
6. A double increase in reheating temperature resulted in a double increase in
equivalent stress as well.

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Nomenclature
d – Inter-distance between crack and particle
a – width of crack
VM – Von Mises
σxx – Normal residual stress next xx
σyy – Normal residual stress next yy
σzz – Normal residual stress next zz
Al – Aluminum
SiC – Silicon carbide
T0 – Temperature rate
T̃ – Final temperature
Tend – ambient temperature
t – Time