Microstructure-based modelling of the deformation behaviour of ceramic matrix composites

In this paper the experimental and numerical investigations of microstructure modelling of multilayer actuator are considered. BaTiO₃ powder is manufactured using the solid-state technique. The main parameter influencing the possibility of application of BaTiO₃ ceramics on actuators is the grain size of the sintered materials. Three kinds of pellets with different average grain sizes were considered. The adhesive joints of a BaTiO₃ and Ag-based conducting electric current epoxy adhesive were used to fabricate the model of actuator. A 3D microstructure model of BaTiO₃ and composites were generated using Digimat-FE software. The Mori–Tanaka and double inclusion homogenization models for representative volume elements of multilayer actuator were carried out using Digimat-MF software, in order to obtain the failure characteristics of the composite material. To investigate the failure of the ceramic matrix composite the Hashin-Rotem criterion was used.