Abstract: The bottom-up multi-scale finite element modeling based on the sequential consideration of the fiber/interface/matrix scale and the tow/matrix/coat scale is employed to study the plain weave multi-phase and multi-layer silicon carbide ceramic matrix composite. The strain energy-based method is adopted for the multi-scale analysis and evaluation of effective properties. First, the effective properties of tows are computed on the fiber/interface/matrix scale. Then these properties are incorporated into the microstructure on the tow/matrix/coat scale and the effective properties of the composite are obtained. Numerical results obtained by the proposed method and model are shown to agree well with the results measured experimentally.

Key words: silicon carbide ceramic matrix composite, plain weave, multi-phase and multi-layer, strain energy-based method, multi-scale analysis, numerical prediction