Micro CT informed defect controlled fracture and Weibull effective volume strength prediction of ceramic radomes
Engineering Failure Analysis, cilt.198, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 198
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.engfailanal.2026.111410
- Dergi Adı: Engineering Failure Analysis
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Compendex, INSPEC, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Engineering Source (EBSCO)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Ceramic radome, Effective volume, Finite element method, Fused silica, Linear elastic fracture mechanics, Weibull analysis
- Gazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Radomes are made from ceramics for their high temperature capability and electromagnetic transmissivity. Microdefects formed during radome production limit strength. To forecast the strength of a slip cast fused silica radome, this work combines Weibull parameters from three and four point bending coupon tests with defect data acquired by micro computed tomography (micro CT). A finite element (FE) model that includes flight loads yields the radome's stress field, which is computationally integrated with Weibull data to produce an effective volume and a probabilistic strength estimate. The analysis shows that the defect distribution on the flange follows Weibull theory: many small, nearly spherical voids concentrate in high stress regions, while larger voids near the tip lie outside the maximum stress zone. Thus, failure is controlled by small defects in highly stressed zones rather than by rare large defects in low stress areas, confirming the effective volume approach. In addition, micro CT derived defect geometries from the critical flange region were incorporated into a local defect resolved FE model to evaluate stress concentration around representative manufacturing induced defects. This local analysis was used to investigate the mechanical influence of realistic defect geometries and to support the interpretation of the global probabilistic strength prediction. Weibull based strength predictions agree with linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) calculations. Unlike most literature that treats microstructure or macroscopic loading separately, this work integrates experimental strength data, micro CT defect characterization, and computed stress fields to reveal the radome's probabilistic fracture behavior. The combined micro CT characterization, Weibull effective volume analysis, local defect resolved FE modelling, and LEFM assessment provide a physically informed methodology for evaluating the structural reliability of ceramic radomes under representative flight loading conditions.