Revealing the role of micropore defects in tensile deformation of a B4Cp/Al composite using an actual three-dimensional model

Effect of micropore defects on the tensile stress–strain response and damage behavior in a B4Cp/6061Al composite was investigated via establishing an actual three-dimensional (3D) finite element model based on a representative volume element (RVE). The incorporated 3D microstructure was achieved by synchrotron radiation X-ray computed microtomography (SR-μCT). RVE-I consists of B4C particles, matrix, and micropore defects, while the micropore defects are artificially filled by matrix in the RVE-II. The simulation results demonstrate that compared with the RVE-II, the presence of micropore defects in the RVE-I leads to a lower tensile property which is close to the experimental result. Matrix damage associated with the micropore defects that are composed of voids from cracking particles and voids near particle/matrix interfaces is revealed by analyzing the distribution of strain and stress. Furthermore, different damage processes observed in two RVEs, indicating that the micropore defects play a significant role in determining the crack propagation path. This work offers a reference for studying the mechanical behavior of particle-reinforced aluminum matrix composites from a novel perspective.