Partially Stabilized Zirconia Piston Bowl Reliability

The Weibull based ''Simplified Structural Ceramic Design Technique'' was used to calculate the reliability of a partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) piston bowl design. The details of the method and a set of sample calculations are presented. Test results of the piston bowl showed cracks in regions which had a high calculated probability of failure. In addition cracks developed in a region of high compressive/shear stress. Since Weibull reliability analysis only uses tensile stresses this area did not have a high calculated probability of failure. Several hypotheses are presented for the mode of failure in this region. The simplified technique was used to predict what the necessary material properties would have to be for successful PSZ insert of the design shown.