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Materials Science and EngineeringA212 (1996) 22-28

Residual thermal stresses in ceramic composites.

Part I: with ellipsoidal inclusions
Chun-Hway Hsueh, Paul F. Becher
Metals and Ceramics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA

Received 6 September 1995; in revised form 15 December 1995

Abstract

Residual thermal stresses in ceramic matrix composites containing ellipsoidal inclusions are analyzed using a modified Eshelby
model. Closed-form analytical solutions are obtained; however, their formulations are formidable. When the inclusion is
disc-shaped, spherical, or fiber-shaped, simple analytical solutions can be obtained using different models, and they are in excellent
agreement with those obtained from the modified Eshelby model. The analytical solutions are compared with the experimental
and finite element results. Also, effects of the aspect ratio and the volume fraction of inclusions on residual thermal stresses are
examined.
Keywords: Residual thermal stresses; Ceramic composites; Mechanicalproperties

1. Introduction

The mechanical properties of ceramics are intimately

related to their microstructure. The brittleness of ceramics can be reduced by incorporating dispersed inclusions, such as second phases, fibers, and whiskers. For
example, transformation toughening is achieved by introducing transforming particles into non-transforming
matrix [1,2], toughening of fiber-reinforced (or whiskerreinforced) ceramics is achieved via incorporation of
strong fibers (or whiskers) in the matrix [3,4], and
self-reinforced Si3N4 is achieved by in-situ growth of
elongated fl-SiaN 4 grains [5,6]. Ceramic composites are
fabricated at elevated temperatures. When they are
cooled to the ambient temperature, residual thermal
stresses develop owing to the thermomechanical mismatch between the matrix and the inclusions. Accordingly, these residual thermal stresses must be considered
in the material design and various applications.
The residual thermal stresses in ceramic composites
containing inclusions have been analyzed [7]. For simplicity, the inclusions were assumed to be of ellipsoidal
shape [7] and the solutions were obtained using a
modified Eshelby model [8,9]. Anisotropic properties in

the inclusions have been considered for both the elastic

constant and the coefficient of thermal expansion
(CTE) [7]. However, owing to these anisotropic properties, complication occurred in the stress analysis such
that the solutions were formulated in matrix forms, and
applications of those solutions require knowledge of
matrix operations [7]. When the inclusion is fibershaped, it has been found that excellent approximation
in analyzing residual thermal stresses could been obtained by ignoring the anisotropy in the elastic constant
of the fiber and using the elastic constant in the direction of the fiber axis in the analysis [10].
The purpose of this study is to present solutions for
the residual thermal stresses in ceramic composites containing ellipsoidal inclusions in closed-form analytical
formulations, which can be readily applied. First, a
modified Eshelby model is used to derive the solutions.
To simplify the analysis, only the anisotropy in the
CTE is considered for the inclusions. Then, using different models, simple analytical solutions are presented for
the special cases of disc-shaped, spherical, and fibershaped inclusions, and they are compared with those
obtained from the modified Eshelby model. Finally, the
analytical solutions are compared with the experimental
0921-5093/96/$15.00 1996-- Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved
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C.-H. Hsueh, P.F. Becher / Materials Science and Engineering A212 (1996) 22-28

and the finite element results, and effects of the aspect

ratio and the volume fraction of inclusions on residual
thermal stresses are examined.

2. Analyses of residual thermal stresses

Both the matrix and inclusions are assumed to be

linear isotropic elastic to simplify the analysis. An
isotropic CTE, ~m, is considered for the matrix. However, anisotropic CTE often exist in inclusions. For
example, when inclusions are fibers, they can have
different CTEs in the radial and the axial directions
[11,12]. Hence, the inclusion is considered to have a
transversely isotropic CTE with respect to its axis of
symmetry. Using Cartesian coordinates, X1, X> and X3,
with X3 as the axis of symmetry, the CTEs in both X~
and )(2 directions are cq and the CTE in the X3 direction is :q. Also, for an ellipsoid with radius a in its Xj
and )(2 directions and radius c in its )(3 directions, its
geometry can be described by

The aspect ratio of the ellipsoid is c/a (e.g. c/a < < 1
for disc-shaped, = 1 for sphere, and > > 1 for fibershaped). When the composite is cooled from its fabrication
temperature,
stresses develop
owing to
thermomechanical mismatch between the matrix and
inclusions. This problem can be analyzed using a
modified Eshelby model, and it is described as follows.
The Eshelby model consists of a sequence of imaginary cutting, straining, and welding operations [8].
During cooling of a composite, the inclusion is subjected to mismatch strains: (71-0~m)ATin the X~ and J[z2
directions and (~3-2m)ATin the X3 direction where AT
is the temperature range for stress development. Hence,
if the inclusion is cut and removed from the matrix
before cooling, the above mismatch strains exist between the inclusion and the matrix after cooling. These
mismatch strains are defined as "transformation
strains", %, in the Eshelby model, such that
e'*
11 --- '*
2 2 = (~l - ~,,)AT

(2a)

e~* = (0~ 3 - - '~m)A T

(2b)

Then, surface tractions are applied on the inclusion

to compensate the mismatch strain such that the inclusion can be fitted in the hole in the matrix, and the
material across the cut is rejoined. The stress now exists
in the inclusion owing to the applied surface tractions
but is zero in the matrix. At this stage, the applied
surface tractions become a layer of body force at the
interface between the matrix and the inclusion. To
remove the applied surface tractions, an equal and
opposite layer of body force is applied at the interface

23

which, in turn, induces strains in both the inclusion and

the matrix. These induced strains are defined as "constrained strains", e~.. Whereas the stresses in the matrix
result solely from e~., the stresses in the inclusion result
from eij-~
c '*
0. . The solutions for residual thermal stresses
in the composite are hence contingent upon the determination of e~i. For an ellipsoidal inclusion, e~) and
hence the residual thermal stresses are uniform inside
the inclusion [8].
The constrained strain, e~, is induced by relaxation of
the body force at the interface, and this body force
results from compensating the transformation strain,
t* The
e,~*, in the inclusion. Hence, %c is a function of %.
relation between e,~ and e~* within the inclusion is given
in the Eshelby model for the case that an ellipsoidal
inclusion is embedded in an infinite matrix and the
inclusion and the matrix have the same elastic constant.
However, in a real composite, the inclusion and the
matrix have different elastic constants and the volume
fraction of inclusions is finite. Hence, modifications of
the Eshelby model are required to obtain the relation
between %c and %t * for a real composite.
Based on the Eshelby model, the "true inclusion" can
be replaced by an "equivalent inclusion" which has the
same elastic constant as the matrix and undergoes an
"equivalent transformation strain", s~ [131. However,
this replacement is subjected to the requirement that the
displacements and stresses within the true and the
equivalent inclusions are the same, such that [13]

K~(e'- d*) = Km(#' -- e')

(3a)

Ge(t e lcl -

(3b)

tt*]

"Ill

Gin( ' e lc l - - , e lt l )

where K and G are respectively the bulk and the shear

moduli, the subscripts e and m denote respectively the
ellipsoidal inclusion and the matrix, and e and 'go are
respectively the dilatational and the deviatoric strains;
i.e.
g : ell .qt- &22 -'~ e33
1

'ell = g(ell - - 833 )

(4a)
(4b)

Whereas Eq. (3a) dictates sameness of the dilatational stress, Eq. (3b) dictates sameness of the deviatoric stress between the true and the equivalent
inclusions. It is noted that since the strain in the
inclusion is transversely isotropic (i.e., ell=e22), only
one equation (i.e., Eq. (4b)) is required for the condition of sameness of the deviatoric stress.
The Eshelby model was modified by Mori and
Tanaka to account for the finite volume fraction of
inclusions [9]. Besides the constrained strain induced by
relaxation of the body force at the interface, an additional constrained strain is induced owing to the presence of surrounding inclusions. Hence, for a finite
volume fraction of inclusions, the constrained strain,e}),
consists of two components, such that

C.-H. Hsueh, P.F. Becher / Materials Science and Engineering A212 (1996) 22-28

24
g~j
. .--. . .e~j
. . + esj

(5)

The first component, e~', is the constrained strain

when a single inclusion is embedded in an infinite
matrix, and it can be related to the equivalent transformation strain, e,~., by
Ct

Eq. (8), the solutions for the stresses in the inclusion

(i.e., Eq. (11)) are complete. Specifically, the stress
components in the inclusion are:
0"11 = 0.22 =

Vmgm

(1 + Vm)(1 ~

2Vn~ ~

gm

( g - - g ) ' q - ,. ~

l-]-v m

(12a)

(6)

eij = Sii~lgkl

where So.kt is the Eshelby tensor [8], which is a function

of the aspect ratio of the inclusion and Poisson's ratio
of the matrix. It is noted that the symmetric axis of the
ellipsoid adopted in the present study is different from
that in Ref. [8], and the Eshelby tensor pertinent to the
present study is given in Appendix A. The second
component, g~', is introduced to account for the finite
volume fraction of inclusions, and it is both elastic and
uniform throughout the composite [9]. The elastic strain
in the equivalent inclusion is uniform and equals g,~.-g,~.
The average elastic strain in the matrix is e~?. The
condition of mechanical equilibrium requires that [9]

( 1 -f)e~" +f(g~ - e,~) = 0

Vmgm
Em
0"33 = ( 1 + Vm)(1 -- 2Vm) (ec -- et) + ~

(e33 --833)

(12b)
The average stress in the inclusion, ~, is
6=

20"11 + 0"33
3

(13)

The average stress in the matrix, #m, can be obtained

from the equilibrium condition such that
~m =

-f#

(14)

1-f

(7)

where f is the volume fraction of inclusions. Combination of Eqs. (5)-(7) yields

3. Disc-shaped, spherical, and fiber-shaped inclusions

euc = (1 --f)Sijklektt +fgut

The solutions obtained from the modified Eshelby

model are closed-form; however, their formulations are
formidable owing to the presence of the Eshelby tensor.
When the ellipsoidal inclusion has a special shape (i.e.,
disc-shaped, sphere, or fiber-shaped), simple analytical
solutions can be obtained using different models.

(8)

The relation between g~ and e,~. is hence established

for a finite volume fraction of inclusions.

Substituting Eq. (8) into Eqs. (3a) and (3b), the
solutions for the equivalent transformation strains, g,~.,
are
e~l=e~2-

g~3 =

t*
t*
-(a21Ke-a1,Ge)g33-(2a21kKe+a11Ge)g11

alla22--a12a21

(a22Ke-a12Ge)e~-k(2a22KeWa12Ge)g~

3.1. The disc-shaped inclusion

(9a)

(9b)

alla22--a12a21

where

all =Km + If+ (1 --AO(S3333+2Sl133)](Ke-Km)

(10a)

a12 = 2Km + 2[/+ (1 -f)(83311 -'~ 81111 At-81122)](Ke- - Km)

(10b)
(10c)

a21 = G m -k- I f + (1 --f)(83333 -- 81133)](G e - am)

a22 = -- Gm + [ - f + (1 -f)(283311

--

81111

--

When the aspect ratio, c/a, of the ellipsoidal inclusion approaches zero, the inclusion becomes a disc with
radius a and thickness c and a > > c. The representative volume element of the composite is a disc-shaped
inclusion sandwiched by two discs of fnatrix (Fig. 1
(a)). In the X 3 direction, there is no constraint and the
residual thermal stresses are zero in both the matrix
and the inclusion (i.e., 033 = 0 ) . In the X 1 and the X"2
directions, continuity of the displacement between the
inclusion and the matrix is required, such that

81122)]

x (Ge-- am)

(lOd)

The stresses in the inclusion, 0"o, can then be derived

from the stress-strain relation, such that
VmEm ,~

Em

. (gc-gt) 60"1- 1---~V

m (g/J--g0")

0"u- (1 + vm)(1 --'gYm)

(1 1)

where E and v are Young's modulus and Poisson's

ratio, respectively, and d/j is the Kronecker delta. With
the equivalent transformation strain, g,~, given by Eqs.
(9a) and (9b), and the constrained strain, e~, given by

(a) Dksc-Sha.ped lnr.lul:Lo~

~/a<'<l

(b) Sphe=cal Tnclul~.on

a/a=.l

(c) T.U0e::-$haped Zncl~,lon

c/a>>1

Fig. 1. Schematic diagram showing the representative volume element

for composites containing (a) disc-shaped, (b) spherical, and (c)
fiber-shaped inclusions.

25

C.-H. Hsueh, P.F. Becher / Materials Science and Engineering A212 (1996) 22 28

(1 - v~)0-11 ~- ~ I A T - (1 - - Vm)0-11(m ) -[- ~mAT

Ee

(15)

Em

where 0-~l(m) is the normal stress in the X~ (and the X2)

direction in the matrix. Mechanical equilibrium requires that

,f0-11 + (1 -J)0-]l(,.)= 0

f(1

--+
Ee

(17)

Vm)

(1 - f ) E m

3.2. The spherical inclusion

When the aspect ratio, c/a, of the ellipsoidal inclusion is equal to one, the inclusion becomes a sphere
with radius a. The representative volume element of the
composite is a composite sphere (Fig. 1 (b)). This
problem has been analyzed when the CTE in the inclusion, ~, is isotropic. In this case, the residual thermal
stress in the spherical inclusion is hydrostatic such that
[14]
~e)AT

(,Z m --

0-11 =0-22 : 0-33 :

3K:

4(l'-f)Gm

(18)

3(I-j')K m

When Eq. (18) is compared with the solution obtained from the modified Eshelby model for the case of
c/a = 1, ~e = (20~1 -~ ~3)/3 is assumed in this study.
3.3. The fiber-shaped inclusion

When the aspect ratio, c/a, of the ellipsoidal inclusion is much greater than one, the inclusion becomes an
infinitely long fiber with a radius a. The representative
volume element of the composite is a composite cylinder (Fig. 1 (c)). The residual thermal stress in the fiber
has been analyzed, such that [15]

'1

+ ~
2

352
407

:~ ( x l 0

0.21
0.23

4.45
8.34

6 of)

The residual thermal stresses in two composites, SiC

whisker-reinforced A1203 [16] and graphite fiber-reinforced aluminum [17], are considered. It is noted that
the graphite/A1 composite is a metal matrix composite.
However, its elastic residual thermal stresses were calculated using finite element method [17], and they can
be used for comparison with the present analytical
solutions.
4.1. SiC whisker-reinforced A120~ composites

Residual thermal stresses have been measured for

hot-pressed ~-A120 3 composites containing 10, 18, and
29 vol% fl-SiC whiskers using X-ray diffraction [16].
The material properties are listed in Table 1, and
A T = - 1000 C [16]. The fl-SiC whisker has an
isotropic CTE. Adopting the given material properties,
the stresses, 0-~ and a33, in the ellipsoidal inclusion are
calculated as a function of the aspect ratio, c/a, for
f = 0.1 (Fig. 2). The calculated results from the three
analytical solutions for the disc-shaped, the spherical,
and the fiber-shaped inclusions agree with those obtained from the modified Eshelby model. Whereas the
magnitude of 0-33 increases from zero, the magnitude of
0-1~ decreases from a finite value as c/a increases from
zero. Both all and 0-33 reach their asymptotic values
0

(l-f)eo, J (~m--~3) AT

-500

Disc-Shaped
Spherical
Fiber-Shaped

-1000

(19a)

~+(l__f)Emj(~gm-~l)

[-l--v e 1 + f + ( 1 - - f ) V m ] ,
+L-V
+

(19b)

-1500

W
~ -20OO

. . . .

i
5

where A is given by
A=

+ (1 --~)Em

0-11=0-22=A

0-33~.--=--A

fl-SiC
~-A1203

(GPa)

4. Results

(C~m-- ~,)AT
1 - - v~

(16)

Combination of Eqs. (15) and (16) yields

0-t~ =

Table 1.
Material properties of SiC whisker-reinforced AI203 composites

. . . .

10

i
15

. . . .

20

ASPECT RATIO, c / a

(l+Ve)(1--2Ve) + f(2-ve

E~2
-+ f(1 + vm)(1 + f - - 2fVm)]
( ] --f)2Em2

. . . .

Vm 4VeVm)+ 1 + Vm
(1 --f)EeEm
-

(2O)

Fig. 2. The residual thermal stresses, all and a33, in ellipsoidal

inclusions calculated using the modified Eshelby model as functions
of the aspect ratio of inclusions, c/a, for ~-AI203 composites containing 10 vol% fl-SiC whiskers. The solutions for disc-shaped, spherical,
and fiber-shaped inclusions obtained from different models are also
shown.

C.-H. Hsueh, P.F. Becher Materials Science and Engineering A212 (1996) 22-28

26
o

E (GPa)

cq ( X 10 - 6 C)

63

385
70

0.2
0.35

25
236

0
236

( x 10 - 6

C)

-500

Graphite
AI

t/)
/)
w
rr

Table 2
Material properties of graphite fiber-reinforced AI composites

-1000

w
~ -1500

-2000

02

0,4

0.6

0.8

VOLUME FRACTION, .t

Fig. 3. The calculated asymptotic values (i.e., for the cases of c/a >
10) of 0"~,, 0"33, and # in ellipsoidal inclusions for SiC/AI20 3 composites. The measured # is also shown

when c/a is greater than ~ 10. The aspect ratios of SiC

whiskers in the composite are greater than 10 [16]. To
compare with experiments, the asymptotic values of all
and a33 are shown as functions of the volume fraction
of inclusions, f, in Fig. 3. The average residual thermal
stress, #, in the inclusion is also shown. The magnitude
of the residual thermal stress in the inclusion decreases
with the increasing volume fraction of inclusions. The
measured 6 are - 979 + 70 MPa, - 1058 + 48 MPa,
and - 9 5 8 + 4 6 MPa, respectively, for f = 0 . 1 , 0.18,
and 0.29 [16]. Good agreement between calculated and
measured results is obtained (Fig. 3).
It is noted that the elastic constants of the singlecrystal SiC whisker are highly anisotropic [18]. Considering anisotropic elastic constants (C]~ =352 GPa,
C~2 = 140 GPa, and C 4 4 = 233 GPa) for SiC whiskers
and using c/a= 10, the calculated 5 from Li and
Bradt's analysis [7] were -1180, -1072, and - 9 1 7
MPa, respectively, for f = 0 . 1 , 0.18, and 0.29 [16].
Adopting the axial elastic property (E = 352 GPa) for
SiC whiskers and using c/a = 10, the present calculated
results for # are - 1106, - 1017, and - 8 9 2 MPa,
respectively, for f = 0.1, 0.18, and 0.29. Hence, ignoring
the anisotropic properties in elastic constants of SiC
whiskers, the calculated magnitude of 6 is ~ 5% lower
than that predicted in Li and Bradt's analysis.

aluminum in the transverse direction, but its CTE is

negligible in the axial direction. Using the finite element
method, the residual thermal stresses were calculated
for various fiber volume fractions per each C increase
in the temperature. The calculated radial stress is not
uniform around the interface owing to the interaction
between fibers, its variation around the interface becomes greater as the volume fraction of fibers increases,
and the maximum radial stress at the interface is considered in the finite element results [17].
Using the given material properties in Table 2, the
stresses, all and a33, in the ellipsoidal inclusion per C
increase in the temperature are calculated as a function
of the aspect ratio, c/a, for f = 0 . 1 in Fig. 4. The
calculated results from the three analytical solutions for
the disc-shaped, the spherical, and the fiber-shaped
inclusions are also shown For f = 0.1, the finite element
results are not sensitive to the fiber arrays, and only one
set of finite element results for art and 0"33is shown in
Fig. 4. Compared with SiC/AI203 composites, graphite/
A1 composites require a greater aspect ratio of the
inclusion to reach the asymptotic values of stresses.
This is owing to the greater difference in Young's
modulus between the inclusion and the matrix for
graphite/A1 composites. Detailed comparison between
the results from modified Eshelby model and those
o

_o
u)

[-

_z
_z 3
I
LU
n"

Ju)

Spherical

Fiber-Shaped

l []

Finite

Element
.oll..

ll

LU
T
I--

~-~

, i , , . i . . , i . . . i , , ,1
0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.

c/a

4.2. Graphite fiber-reinforced AI composites

UJ

rr

Elastic residual thermal stresses have been calculated

for a continuous unidirectional Pitch 55 graphite fiberreinforced A201 aluminum composites using a finite
element method [17]. Two types of fiber arrays, square
and hexagonal, were adopted in the finite element modeling [17]. The material properties are listed in Table 2.
The CTE of the graphite fiber is highly anisotropic. The
graphite fiber has a CTE comparable with that of

-1

20

40

60

80

ASPECT

RATIO,

100

c/a

Fig. 4. The residual thermal stresses, 0-,~ and 0"33, in ellipsoidal

inclusions per C increase in temperature calculated using the
modified Eshelby model as functions of the aspect ratio of inclusions,
c/a, for aluminum matrix composites containing 10 vol.% graphite
fibers. The analytical solutions for disc-shaped, spherical, and fibershaped inclusions obtained from different models as well as finite
element results are also shown.

C.-H. Hsueh, P.F. Beeher / Materials Science and Engineering A212 (1996) 22 28
0.5

'

(3

0.0
cd

I E] SquaroArray

LU

ffl

-0.5

Army]

O Hexagonal

.~ -1.0

O
LU
re

-1.5

-2.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

FIBER VOLUME FRACTION, d

Fig. 5. The calculated asymptotic values of o-~ and 0"33(m) per C

increase in temperature for graphite/Al composites.The finiteelement
results for square and hexagonal arrays of fibers are also shown.
from analytical solutions for the disc-shaped and the
spherical inclusions is shown in the insert of Fig, 4. It is
noted that the anisotropy in CTE of the inclusion is not
considered in the composite sphere model [14]. Hence,
the residual hydrostatic stress, 6, in the inclusion calculated from the modified Eshelby model is also shown in
the inserted figure to compare with that obtained for
the composite sphere model. Excellent agreement is
obtained in Fig. 4.
The maximum interfacial radial stress and the axial
stress in the matrix have been calculated using the finite
element method for various fiber volume fractions. The
residual axial stress in the matrix, 0-33(m), can be related
to the residual axial stress in the fiber, 033, by a330n)=
--JO-33/(1 - - f ) . Since the finite element results were obtained for continuous fibers, the asymptotic values of
0-~ and 0-33(m) obtained from the modified Eshelby
model are shown as functions of the volume fraction of
inclusions, Jl in Fig. 5 to compare with the finite
element results. Excellent agreement between the
present analytical solutions and the finite element resuits is obtained when f is less than 0.3. The difference
between the analytical and the finite element results at
high volume fractions of fibers (e.g. f > 0.3) is owing to
fiber-fiber interaction. For finite element results, the
square array of fibers shows a greater fiber-fiber interaction than the hexagonal array of fibers (Fig. 5) [17]. It
is noted that the analytical solutions for graphite/A1
composites show an initial increase in the magnitude of
0-~ with increasing f. This is owing to the thermal
expansion anisotropy of the graphite fiber.

5. Conclusions
Using a modified Eshelby model, closed-form analytical solutions are derived for residual thermal stresses in

27

ceramic composites containing finite volume fraction of

ellipsoidal inclusions. Anisotropic properties can exist
in ellipsoidal inclusions. However, compared with the
thermal expansion anisotropy, the elastic constant anisotropy has a minor effect on the residual thermal
stresses. To simplify the analysis, only the thermal
expansion anisotropy is considered for the inclusions.
The inclusion is assumed to have an axis of symmetry,
X3, with a corresponding radius c in its direction. The
radius in the other two directions, XI and )'I2, is a, and
the aspect ratio of the inclusion is c/a. Using different
models, simple analytical solutions are also presented
when the inclusion becomes disc-shaped, spherical, or
fiber-shaped (Fig. 1), and they are in excellent agreement with solutions derived from the modified Eshelby
model. Effects of the aspect ratio and the volume
fraction of inclusions on the residual thermal stresses,
all ( : O'22 ) and 033, in the inclusion are examined. The
magnitude of 0"33increases from zero but the magnitude
of a~ decreases from a finite value as c/a increases
from zero, and both 0"33 and a~L reach their asymptotic
values when c/a is sufficiently large (e.g. greater than
10 and ~ 60, respectively, for SiC whisker-reinforced
A I 2 0 3 (Fig. 2) and graphite fiber-reinforced aluminum
composites (Fig. 4)). The magnitude of the residual
thermal stress in the inclusion generally decreases with
the increasing volume fraction of inclusions, f However, owing to the great thermal expansion anisotropy
of the graphite fiber, the magnitude of 0"~ shows an
initial increase with increasing f for graphite/A1 composites (Fig. 5). Good agreement is obtained for the
average residual stress in SiC whiskers in SiC/A1203
composites between measured and calculated results
(Fig. 3). Excellent agreement between the present analytical solutions and the finite element results is obtained for graphite/Al composites when f is less than
0.3 (Fig. 5). The difference between the analytical and
the finite element results at high volume fractions of
fibers is owing to fiber fiber interaction.

Acknowledgements
The authors thank Drs. E.Y. Sun and K.J. Kozaczek
for reviewing the manuscript. Research sponsored by
the US Department of Energy, Division of Materials
Sciences, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under contract DE-AC05-84OR21400 with Lockheed Martin Energy Systems.

Appendix A
The Eshelby tensor for ellipsoidal inclusions

The Eshelby tensor, S,jkt, for ellipsoidal inclusions are

28

C.-H. Hsueh, P.F. Becher / Materials Science and Engineering A212 (1996) 22-28

given by
83333 =

References

(A1)

Qc2/Cc + R/C

- RIa

(A2)
(A3)

Slnl = $2222 = QaZlaa + RIa

(A4)

81122 = 52211 ~--- QaZlab

(A5)

83311 = 53322 =

Qa2/ca - R/C

S1133 = 52233 ~--- Qc2/ca

-- RIa

where Q and R are

3
Q - 8zc(1 - %)

(A6)

1 -2%

(A7)

8re(1 - Yr.)

Depending upon the aspect ratio, c/a, the coefficients

Ia,/C, Iaa, lab, lea, and /co are given as follows.
(1). The prolate spheroid (c/a > 1)
2~za2c

[c(c

I a (c2_a2)3/2

\~-

1"~1/2

,]

(c)]

-cosh-'

(A8)

(2). The oblate spheroid (c/a < 1)

2z~a2c [cos_l ( c ) _ c
Ia= ( a ~ - ~ ) 3 ; 2

(l_CZ'~I/2l
\
a2] ]

(A9)

For the above two cases (i.e., c/a ~ 1), the remaining
coefficients can be related to Ia by
/C = 4zr - 2Ia

(A10)

Ia-L
/ca =

3(c 2 _ a 2)

(A11)

4rr
/ c c - 3c 2

2~ca

(A12)

rc
lab = 3a 2

/ca
4

(A13)

/cb --

Iaa = 3Iab

(3). The sphere

(AI4)

(c/a =

1)

4rr

/ =/C = -3-

(A15)

4z
Iaa =/co = 3/Ca = 3/cb = 3/ab = 5a 2

(A16)

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