Extended finite element simulation of fracture mechanisms in composite materials

Due to the increasing use of aluminum silicon alloys in automotive industries for reduced weight in vehicles and decreased emission of pollutants for improvements in fuel economy, the fracture characteristics and wear resistance of aluminum alloys have become of great interest. Hypereutectic Al-Si alloys have the potential to eliminate cast iron liners in engine blocks. One of the challenges for casting difficulties of hypereutectic Al-Si Alloys is coarse primary silicon particles size, irregular shape and uneven distribution. Deformation of surface and subsurface layers and also fracture of subsurface layer in this nano-composite structure are the determining factors of the wear resistance properties of the material. The major concern of this work is focused on developing a numerical model of fracture (crack propagation) in aluminum-silicon nano-composites. More particularly, an extended finite element approach couple with the level set method is used.