Residual stress generation in metal matrix composites after cooling

Abstract

Effects of reinforcements’ shapes, sizes and contents on (a) von-Mises stress along a horizontal line in MMCs, (b) directions and distributions of principal stresses inside particles, matrix and interface, and (c) distribution of thermal residual stress in MMCs were analysed in this investigation. It was found that the matrix–particle interfaces experience a sudden change of von-Mises stress which depends on the reinforcement shape. The smoothest change of stress occurred in triangle particle-reinforced MMCs. However, the highest stress was concentrated at the corners of the triangular particles. The directions of stress vectors depend on the shape of the particles. The extent of the von-Mises stress increases with the increase in reinforcement content and a decrease in particles size at constant content.