Evolution of Contact Damage in Layer Structures

脆性层结构(如陶瓷衬底上的脆性涂层)比其组成材料的成分具有更强的损伤容忍度--裂纹往往保持在涂层内。人们对控制这种行为的因素知之甚少。该项目将利用当地在模拟损伤演化方面的独特专业知识，填补美国国家标准研究所(NIST)正在进行的一项大型研究的空白。对最大限度地遏制裂纹的因素的了解，对于设计和开发用于许多生物力学和其他工程应用的下一代先进层复合材料至关重要。

Brittle layer structures (eg brittle coating on ceramic substrate) can be much more damage tolerant than their constituent material components - cracks tend to remain contained within the coating. Very little is known about the factors that control this behaviour. This project will exploit unique local expertise in modelling damage evolution to fill a niche in a large study being carried out at the National Institute of Standards (NIST) in the U.S.A. An understanding of the factors that maximise the containment of cracks is essential to the design and development of the next generation of advanced layer composites for many biomechanical and other engineering applications.