X-Ray Tomographic Microscopy (XTM) Using Synchrotron Radiation

The response of a material to an applied load is inherently three-dimen­ sional. Heterogeneous networks of second phases, reinforcing particles, and fibers act to redistribute applied loads into complex, three-dimensional distributions of stresses and strains. Mechanical properties measurements, however, traditionally rely upon oneand two-dimensional analytical tech­ niques to explain what are, in reality, three-dimensional responses. A load­ displacement curve is an example of a one-dimensional measurement, which is often used to measure global deformation in a sample, and to infer micro mechanical mechanisms that might be operating during deformation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are examples of essentially two-dimensional techniques that can be used to provide evidence for the origin of failure and whether