Rheological analysis of ceramic pastes

Abstract

This paper is concerned with a number of means of characterising the rheological properties of a ceramic paste. The intrinsic flow behaviour of the paste, during upsetting, is studied experimentally by using multi coloured paste samples, as well as by a finite element numerical computation. The flow behaviour of the paste is approximated by an elasto-viscoplastic material constitutive model and implemented by using an established finite element code. The material flow properties, which are necessary for the implementation of the numerical model, were obtained using the squeeze film and hardness indentation test configurations. The flow fields generated by the simulation are shown to be a good accord with the experimental observations. The experimental procedure for selecting the material parameters which are necessary for the implementation of the numerical model is described. The accuracy of the numerical method described is also evaluated by comparing the simulation results with experimental data obtained from the net upsetting force against the imposed relative displacement behaviour and the flow visualisation of deformed coloured layers. In these respects, a comparison of the finite element model predictions and the experimental results demonstrates a good mutual agreement. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.