A Combined Investigation of Bending Behavior of a SiC Fiber‐Reinforced Titanium Matrix Composite with Compressive and Tensile Tests

The study investigates the bending behavior and failure mechanisms of a titanium matrix composite reinforced with SiC fibers. The effects of nominal fiber volume fraction, testing temperature, and fiber position on bending behavior are evaluated. The results indicate that increasing the nominal fiber volume fraction from 19% to 50% improves average bending strength, reaching 2757 MPa at room temperature and 2596 MPa at 350 °C. Fiber position significantly influences bend strength, and composites with fibers on the concave side show greater strength than those with fibers on the convex side. Cracks in the composite specimen preferentially initiate from the bottom of the composite core rather than from the top, and fiber breakage under tensile stress is the dominant damage mechanism in the bend test. That is consistent with the lower tensile strength relative to the compressive strength of the composite.