Combination of Brazilian test and digital image correlation for mechanical characterization of refractory materials

Flexibility of refractories is an interesting property to improve thermal shock resistance of refractories. It can often be obtained by promoting a nonlinear mechanical behaviour which reduces brittleness. Among industrial refractory materials developed in this aim, magnesia hercynite is of a particular interest for cement industry. As linings for rotary kilns, magnesia hercynite can be submitted to tensile and compressive stresses. Since tensile strength is usually much lower than compressive one for brittle materials, the mechanical characterization is, in such case, more significant in tension than in compression. To overcome difficulties involved by direct tensile test, an indirect tensile test (Brazilian test) has been applied here and combined to digital image correlation in order to measure kinematic fields on the surface of the sample during loading. This combination has allowed to accurately measure initial elastic properties (Young's modulus and Poisson ratio), to detect crack initiation and to analyze fracture process.