Quantitative Characterization of Damage in a Composite Material Using X-Ray Tomographic Microscopy

A laboratory x-ray tomographic microscope (XTM) is used to nondestructively “section” a continuous, aligned-fiber SiC/Al metal matrix composite (MMC). Damage in the MMC associated with mechanical deformation is the principal focus of the study. Three types of deformation are examined: wedge loading (with and without load), three-point bending and tensile loading.