• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.583-589
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• 1996

In this study a new analytical model which can describe the relationship between the bridging stress and microstructure has beenproposed in order to investigate the microstructural effect on the R-curve behavior in polycrystalline aluminas since the R-curve can be derived via the bridging stress function. In the currently developed model function the distribution of grain size is considered as a microstructural factor in modeling of bridging stress function and thus the bridging stress function including three constants PM, n, and Cx, can be established analytically and quantitatively. The results indicate that the n value is closely related to the grain size distribution thereby providing a reliability of the current model for the bridging stress analysis. Thus this model which explains the correlation of the bridging stress distribution and microstructual parame-ters is useful for the systematic interpretation of microfracture mechanism including the R-curve behavior in polycrystalline aluminas.