Influence of the load application rate and the statistical model for brittle failure on the bending strength of extruded ceramic tiles

In this paper we investigate the influence of the load application rate (V) on the calculation of the bending strength (σB) of extruded ceramic tiles using three-points bending test as stated by ISO 10545. We also evaluate the convenience of using the average strength as the representative strength of a ceramic lot, and the goodness of the Gaussian distribution in comparison with the Weibull one to predict the behavior of the extruded ceramic material. Results show that there is a minimal influence of V on σB, although elevated velocities lead to higher results scattering. Hence, medium velocities are recommended to decrease time required for quality control during serial production. On the other hand, Gaussian and Weibull distributions differ in the prediction of the ceramic material to fracture, thus the selection of one probabilistic model should be in accordance with the design and working requirements of the each product under development.