Strength Degradation by Projectile Impacts

Abstract

The impacting of ceramic components by small projectiles can lead to strength degradation caused by the formation of Hertzian cracks. The conditions which produce degradation are analyzed in terms of the momentum and elastic properties of the projectile. A critical momentum must be exceeded before strength loss can occur, and the critical condition depends on the surface condition of the ceramic. Comparison of the analytical predictions with data for SiC confirms the reliability of the analysis.