Application of Kinematic Fields' Measurements for Refractory Materials Digital Image Correlation as a Support for the Mechanical Characterization of Refractories

The present work aimed to apply Digital Image Correlation (DIC) used for kinematic fields' measurements as a support for the experimental characterization of refractory materials with specific non-linear behaviour. Model and industrial materials with different degrees of flexibility were studied. The first type of materials was a single phase model flexible aluminium titanate material developed for academic purposes by improving the grain growth. Its non-linear mechanical behaviour was obtained thanks to the thermal expansion mismatch of its grains according to the different crystallographic axis. The second one is multi-phased magnesia based industrial materials, whose flexibility is less accentuated, and for which the non-linear mechanical behaviour is obtained thanks to the thermal expansion coefficients mismatch between spinel aggregates and magnesia matrix. In order to apply the optical methods on these materials which exhibit lower strain-to-rupture, it was necessary to optimize the accuracy of these techniques by improving experimental conditions. Different mechanical testings were used such as Four-points bending test, Brazilian test and Wedge splitting test.