Mechanical Properties of Ceramics

To evaluate the interest of the scientific community in assessing the mechanical properties of ceramics, a statistical review of the literature has been prepared. Starting from the analysis of the results of such an investigation, the fundamental ideas which contribute to define the mechanical behaviour of ceramics are discussed. The influence of different flaws, microstructure, environment and time on the failure behaviour are briefly presented. The statistical analysis and the influence of the fabrication processes on the properties and reliability are mentioned. Several mechanisms for toughening ceramic materials are discussed.