Multiscale Modeling of C/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs)

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) have found numerous applications in aerospace, automotive and space vehicles due to their light weight and ability to withstand extreme temperatures. To develop a design criterion for CMCs, elastic properties at different scales need to be evaluated. In this research, elastic properties of CMCs are evaluated at the micro- and meso-level using representative volume element (RVE) in the Ansys Material Designer module. These properties are then validated using various analytical models including Rule of Mixture (ROM), the Chamis Model and the Mori–Tanaka Model. In-plane elastic properties (E11 and G12) of numerical models are in close agreement with the analytical models at both micro- and mesoscales. However, for out of plane properties (E22, G23), Mori–Tanaka Model provides the highest and the Chamis Model provides the lowest.