[Back]

T.H. Nam, G. Requena, H.P. Degischer:
"Thermal Expansion study of AlSi7Mg matrix composites with high content SiC particles";
Talk: CSM2008 - The International Conference on Computational Solid Mechanics, Hochiminh City, Vietnam; 11-27-2008 - 11-30-2008.

The thermal expansion behaviour of AlSi7Mg matrix composite produced by gas pressure
infiltration of preforms consisting 70 vol. % SiC particles (AlSi7Mg/SiC) is studied in present
paper. The coefficient thermal expansion (CTE) of AlSi7Mg/SiC composite is studied
by thermo-elastic models and micromechanical simulation using the finite element analysis
to explain abnormalities in the thermal expansion behaviour observed experimentally. The
instantaneous CTE(T) is predicted according to thermo-elastic models of Kerner, Schapery
and Turner using the expansion data of the ingredients. The instantaneous CTE(T) is modelled
for heating and cooling cycles from 20oC to 500oC considering the effects of microscopic
voids and phase connectivity. The finite element analysis is based on a twodimensional
unit cell model using generalized plane strain formulations. The obtained
thermal expansion behaviour is strongly influenced by the presence of voids and confirms
qualitatively that they cause the observed decrease of the CTE(T) above 250oC.

Aluminum matrix composites; Porosity; Finite element analysis; Thermal expansion