Probabilistic Models for Defect Initiated Fracture in Ceramics

Fracture tests on hot-pressed silicon nitride containing voids and sevet·al types of inclusions have been conducted. Fracture models pertinent to each defect type have been proposed and correlated with the data. The specificity of the fracture models is emphasized, and the various trends with defect size that result from the models are described. The resultant fracture probability relations are one of the key inputs to accept/reject decisions for nondestructive failure prediction.