Microstructural analysis of alumina chromium composites by X-ray tomography and 3-D finite element simulation of thermal stresses

X-ray microtomography is used to measure volume fraction and connectivity of the metallic phase in an alumina-chromium composite. Reconstructed images are used as input data for a finite element calculation of the residual thermal stresses. Results confirm the main trends shown by similar calculations previously performed on less-realistic finite element models. (C) 2003 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.