Prediction of stress-strain behavior of ceramic matrix composites using unit cell model

In this study, the elastic modulus and the stress-strain curve of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) were predicted by using the unit cell model that consists of fiber bundles and matrix. The unit cell model was developed based on the observation of cross sections of CMCs. The elastic modulus of CMCs was calculated from the results of finite element analysis using the developed model. The non-linear behavior of stress-strain curve of CMCs was also predicted by taking the degradation of the elastic modulus into consideration, where the degradation was related to the experimentally measured crack density in CMCs. The approach using the unit cell model was applied to two kinds of CMCs, and good agreement was obtained between the experimental and the calculated results.