Strain localization during diametral compression of ZrO$_{2}$ (Y$_{2}$O$_{3}$) ceramics

Deformation behavior of ZrO$_{2}$–Y$_{2}$O$_{3}$ ceramics under conditions of diametral compression has been studied by method of digital image correlation. Spatiotemporal patterns of strain localization along the axis of a deformed sample ($\varepsilon_{xx}(x)$) and across this axis ($\varepsilon_{yy}(y)$) were obtained. It is established that the $\varepsilon_{xx}$ and $\varepsilon_{yy}$ deformations accumulated during the diametral compression test are inhomogeneously distributed over the sample. This is manifested by variation of the microstructure characteristics such as the size of the coherently diffracting domains of a tetragonal phase and microstresses and leads to the tetragonal–monoclinic phase transformation. This pattern of strain localization is correlated with the observed inhomogeneity of microstresses arising in the material volume.