Overview no. 85 The mechanical behavior of ceramic matrix composites

This article summarizes the current understanding of relationships between microstructure and mechanical properties in ceramics reinforced with aligned fibers. Emphasis is placed on definition of the micromechanical properties of the interface that govern the composite toughness. Issues such as the debond and sliding resistance of the interface are discussed based on micromechanics calculations and experiments conducted on both model composites and actual composites.