6/1/2022 MM-362

Complex Engineering Problem

Group:2
1. Jawad Arif --- 2019191
2. Moheen Khan --- 2019206
3. Umer Farooq --- 2019523
4. Abdullah Inayat Ullah --- 2019015
Table of Contents:
Question Statement:......................................................................................................................2

Problem Analysis:..........................................................................................................................2

Calculations:...................................................................................................................................3

Discussions:.................................................................................................................................3

Conclusions:................................................................................................................................4

References:..............................................................................................................................5
Question Statement:
Glass-ceramic produced by thermal treatment process (ceraming), have a designed flexural
strength of 247 MPa, (based on three-point loading scheme with support points distance of 44
mm and a circular cross section of radius 2.5 mm.

It was reported from a technician, that it will not fracture if a load of 275 N (62 lbf) is applied,
however fracture was there on that load.

a) What are the possible reasons of fracture and based on your calculations suggest the possible
replacements of ceramic material from the available materials as reported in below given table.

b) Also suggest solutions if we must use glass-ceramic in detail?4

Problem Analysis:
We are asked to probe a fracture failure of a glass-ceramic that is produced by thermal heat
treatment process. Even though it was mentioned that the material won’t fail at a load of 275 N,
but it did fractured on that load. As ceramic materials are good at compressive stresses, the
failure of brittle material is usually due to a tensile stress since its tensile strength is only a small
fraction of its compressive strength.

We should compute the tensile stresses in the cross-sectional area of the ceramic rod die to the
given applied load of 275 N.

For this, we use the equation of maximum stresses in three-point loading for the circular cross-
sectional area.

FL
σ= 3
πR

Where σ is flexural stress in the cross-sectional area of a rod, with radius R and load F at the
mid-point between two supports. L is the distance between two supports.
Calculations:
F = 275 N

L = 44 mm = 0.044 m

R = 2.5 mm = 0.0025 m

FL
σ= 3
πR

(275 N )(0.044 m)
= 3
π ( 0.0025 m )

= 246499175.9 N/m2

σ = 246.5 MPa

Discussions:
a)

Since the value of σ (246.5 MPa) is less than of σ fs( 247 MPa) , the fracture is not predicted. The
certainty of this prediction is not 100% because there is always some variability in the flexural
strength for ceramic materials and since our calculated value 246.5 MPa is close to the flexural
stress value of 247 MPa, then there is some chance that fracture will occur, and the material
would fail.

We can select the material with σ fs > 246.5 MPa. From the table, suitable one is aluminium oxide
with σ fs (275−700 MPa). Other than that, Silicon nitride (250-1000 MPa) and Zirconia (800-150
MPa) won’t fail too in the given conditions.

b)

There are several ways in which the strength can be increased. The methods include

 Reinforcement with a metal casting.

 Reinforcement with a high-strength ceramic.
 Dispersion strengthening of glasses controlled crystallization of glasses (castable glass
ceramics).
 Surface treatment chemical toughening (ion exchange strengthening).
 Thermal tempering, glazing, and polishing.
  An alternative method of toughening ceramics is by the addition of whiskers. Whiskers
have been used successfully as reinforcements by preventing catastrophic failure of
ceramic materials through mechanisms that allow additional energy to be consumed in
the fracture process.

Conclusions:
We successfully analyzed our glass-ceramic sample for an application that required 475N load
and a flexural strength of 247 MPa. The calculated stress(246.4 MPa) came out to be close to the
flexural stress value which is why our material fractured. Based on our calculation, aluminium
oxide is a suitable replacement for glass-ceramic, as the former won’t fail at 275N load. If we
had to use glass-ceramic, we need to reinforce it with another metal/ceramic or perform
strengthening operations like Dispersion or Ion exchange strengthening.
References:
 Quinn, G.D.; Morrell, R.; Design data for engineering ceramics: a review of the flexure
test, J. Amer. Ceram. Soc. 1991, 74(9), 2037–66.
 Creyke, W.E.C.; Sainsbury, I.E.J.; Morrell, R.; Design with non-ductile materials,
Applied Science Publishers, London, 1982.