Pillar splitting of ceramics using a diamond wedge indenter

Dedicated pillar splitting experiments using a diamond wedge indenter can quantify the fracture toughness of layered ceramics and interfaces, thus helping to understand their failure. This example shows how the Alemnis ASA’s unique displacement control allows stable interfacial crack propagation in a Double Cantilever Beam (Mode I fracture). This approach is used to measure the interfacial fracture resistance in SiC/BN/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs). Thanks to Oriol Gavalda-Diaz, Riccardo Manno, Antonio Melro, Giuliano Allegri, Stephen R. Hallett, Luc Vandeperre, Eduardo Saiz and Finn Giuliani

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