The effect of a prefabricated crack on the crack growth in ceramics during quenching

Abstract The influence of a prefabricated crack on thermal-shock cracking during quenching is studied in real-time. The results show that after the thermal-shock crack extends to the prefabricated crack, the secondary crack may appear at the lower end of the prefabricated crack. The total vertical length of the crack and the probability of the secondary crack occurrence will gradually increase with the prefabricated crack angle. Besides, the influence of the prefabricated crack distance from the edge on thermal-shock crack growth is also considered. The simulation results of meso-damage mechanics are consistent with experimental observation. This article quantitatively investigates the effect of the prefabricated crack on the thermal-shock crack propagation in ceramics, expanding the research on the mechanism of thermal-shock failure.