On the numerical and experimental procedure to study fracture in green compacts

• Grant number: 24/08861-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: October 01, 2024
• End date: July 31, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Mechanics of Solids
• Principal Investigator: Rodrigo Bresciani Canto
• Grantee: Matheus Furlan
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Numerical simulations are useful tools for production planning, research, product development, and cost reduction when applied to the powder pressing process. However, to be effective, the constitutive models, their parameters, simplifying hypotheses, and boundary conditions must be representative of the phenomenon. Commonly, simulations using Finite Element (FE) are employed to predict the final geometry and distribution of mechanical properties in the green compact. However, few studies focus on crack nucleation and propagation in these materials. In this respect, this PhD project has the main goal of studying crack nucleation and propagation in green compacts during fracture mechanical tests using full-field measurement techniques and cohesive elements in FE for different density levels. First, fracture mechanical tests - such as four-point bend, wedge splitting, and diametral compression - will be carried out on homogeneous green compact samples at four density levels. The tests will be assisted by Digital Image Correlation to measure the displacement fields, crack nucleation, and propagation. In order to calibrate the model parameters, a Finite Element Model Updating technique will be applied. After the calibration for the different density levels, validation tests will be conducted on heterogeneous specimens. It is expected that the previously calibrated models can properly describe crack propagation in hetereogeneous specimens. Therefore, all the experimental and numerical developments aim to build a robust procedure to study fracture in green compacts.