Micromechanical modeling of processing-induced damage in Al–SiC metal matrix composites synthesized using the disintegrated melt deposition technique

Porosity of a few percent by volume can often be found in particulate-reinforced metal-matrix composites (MMCs) produced by any of the solid, liquid, or solid–liquid phase processes. Like the voids nucleated within the ductile matrix of the composite during loading, processing-induced voids also have an effect on the mechanical response of the composite. However, unlike nucleated voids, processing-induced voids affect the elastic and initial plastic behavior of the composite, as they are present from the onset of loading. In this study, an axisymmetric finite element model was used to investigate the influence of processing-induced voids on the deformation behavior of silicon carbide particulate-reinforced aluminum metal-matrix composites synthesized by the disintegrated melt deposition technique. A limited parametric analysis of the effect of reinforcement content on the deformation response of the composite is discussed. The numerical predictions are compared with experimental measurements.