Creep of metal-matrix composites with elastic fibers—Part II: A damage model

A constitutive model that accounts for the effects of fiber failure on the high temperature mechanical behavior of metal-matrix composites (MMC) reinforced by long brittle fibers is presented. Weibull statistics are used to describe the strength of the fibers and the assumption of "global load sharingʹ is used to determine the average stress in the fibers. The developed threedimensional constitutive model involves a ʹdamage parameterʹ that accounts for the accumulated fiber failure. A method for the numerical integration of the constitutive equations is developed. The proposed model is used together with the finite element method to predict the life of a plate with a hole loaded in tension in the direction of the fibers under creep conditions. (?) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.