Piezocomposite with reciprocal polarization of oriented ellipsoidal inclusions and the matrix

We consider statistically homogeneous two-phase random piezoactive structures with deterministic properties of inclusions and the matrix and with random mutual location of inclusions. We present the solution of a coupled stochastic boundary value problem of electroelasticity for the representative domain of a matrix piezocomposite with a random structure in the generalized singular approximation of the method of periodic components; the singular approximation is based on taking into account only the singular component of the second derivative of the Green function for the comparison media. We obtain an analytic solution for the tensor of effective properties of the piezocomposite in terms of the solution for the tensors of effective properties of a composite with an ideal periodic structure or with the “statistical mixture” structure and with the periodicity coefficient calculated for a given random structure with its specific characteristics taken into account. The effective properties of composites with auxiliary structures (periodic and “statistical mixture”) are also determined in the generalized singular approximation by varying the properties of the comparisonmedium. We perform numerical computations and analyze the effective properties of a quasiperiodic piezocomposite with reciprocal polarization of oriented ellipsoidal inclusions and the matrix, the layered structures with reciprocal polarization of the layers [1] of a polymer piezoelectric PVF, and find their unique properties such as a significant increase in the Young modulus along the normal to the layers and in dielectric permittivities, the appearance of negative values of the Poisson ratio under extension along the normal, and an increase in the absolute values of the basic piezomoduli.     

Electromechanical response of (3–0, 3–1) particulate,fibrous, and porous piezoelectric composites with anisotropic constituents: A model based on the homogenization method

An analytical framework based on the homogenization method has been developed to predict the effective electromechanical properties of periodic, particulate and porous, piezoelectric composites with anisotropic constituents. Expressions are provided for the effective moduli tensors of n-phase composites based on the respective strain and electric field concentration tensors. By taking into account the shape and distribution of the inclusion and by invoking a simple numerical procedure, solutions for the electromechanical properties of a general anisotropic inclusion in an anisotropic matrix are obtained. While analytical forms are provided for predicting the electroelastic moduli of composites with spherical and cylindrical inclusions, numerical evaluation of integrals over the composite microstructure is required in order to obtain the corresponding expressions for a general ellipsoidal particle in a piezoelectric matrix. The electroelastic moduli of piezoelectric composites predicted by the analytical model developed in the present study demonstrate excellent agreement with results obtained from three-dimensional finite-element models for several piezoelectric systems that exhibit varying degrees of elastic anisotropy.     

The effective properties of piezoelectric composite materials with transversely isotropic spherical inclusions

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＷｉｔｈｔｈｅｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｍｅｎｔｏｆｉｎｆｏｒｍａｔｉｏｎｉｎｄｕｓｔｒｙａｎｄｔｈｅａｐｅａｒａｎｃｅｏｆｓｍａｒｔｍａｔｅｒｉａｌｓａｎｄｓｍａｒｔｓｔｒｕｃｔｕｒｅｓ,ｉｔｂｅｃｏｍｅｓｍｏｒｅａｎｄｍｏｒｅｉｍｐｏ...     

The effective properties of piezocomposites, part II: The effective electroelastic moduli

Since piezoelectric ceramic/polymer composites have been widely used as smart materials and smart structures, it is more and more important to obtain the closed-from solutions of the effective properties of piezocomposites with piezoelectric ellipsoidal inclusions. Based on the closed-from solutions of the electroelastic Eshelby's tensors obtained in the part I of this paper and the generalized Budiansky's energy-equivalence framework, the closed-form general relations of effective electroelastic moduli of the piezocomposites with piezoelectric ellipsoidal inclusions are given. The relations can be applicable for several micromechanics models, such as the dilute solution and the Mori-Tanaka's method. The difference among the various models is shown to be the way in which the average strain and the average electric field of the inclusion phase are evaluated. Comparison between predicted and experimental results shows that the theoretical values in this paper agree quite well with the experimental results. These expression can be readily utilized in analysis and design of piezocomposites. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China     

Contact analysis in the presence of an ellipsoidal inhomogeneity within a half space

Many materials contain inhomogeneities or inclusions that may greatly affect their mechanical properties. Such inhomogeneities are for example encountered in the case of composite materials or materials containing precipitates. This paper presents an analysis of contact pressure and subsurface stress field for contact problems in the presence of anisotropic elastic inhomogeneities of ellipsoidal shape. Accounting for any orientation and material properties of the inhomogeneities are the major novelties of this work. The semi-analytical method proposed to solve the contact problem is based on Eshelby’s formalism and uses 2D and 3D Fast Fourier Transforms to speed up the computation. The time and memory necessary are greatly reduced in comparison with the classical finite element method. The model can be seen as an enrichment technique where the enrichment fields from the heterogeneous solution are superimposed to the homogeneous problem. The definition of complex geometries made by combination of inclusions can easily be achieved. A parametric analysis on the effect of elastic properties and geometrical features of the inhomogeneity (size, depth and orientation) is proposed. The model allows to obtain the contact pressure distribution – disturbed by the presence of inhomogeneities – as well as subsurface and matrix/inhomogeneity interface stresses. It is shown that the presence of an inclusion below the contact surface affects significantly the contact pressure and subsurfaces stress distributions when located at a depth lower than 0.7 times the contact radius. The anisotropy directions and material data are also key elements that strongly affect the elastic contact solution. In the case of normal contact between a spherical indenter and an elastic half space containing a single inhomogeneity whose center is located straight below the contact center, the normal stress at the inhomogeneity/matrix interface is mostly compressive. Finally when the axes of the ellipsoidal inclusion do not coincide with the contact problem axes, the pressure distribution is not symmetrical.     

Electroelastic behavior modeling of piezoelectric composite materials containing spatially oriented reinforcements

In this work, a modeling of electroelastic composite materials is proposed. The extension of the heterogeneous inclusion problem of Eshelby for elastic to electroelastic behavior is formulated in terms of four interaction tensors related to Eshelby’s electroelastic tensors. Analytical formulations of interaction tensors are presented for ellipsoidal inclusions. These tensors are basically used to derive the self-consistent model, Mori–Tanaka and dilute approaches. Numerical solutions are based on numerical computations of these tensors for various types of inclusions. Using the obtained results, effective electroelastic moduli of piezoelectric multiphase composites are investigated by an iterative procedure in the context of self-consistent scheme. Generalised Mori–Tanaka’s model and dilute approach are re-formulated and the three models are deeply analysed. Concentration tensors corresponding to each model are presented and relationships of effective coefficients are given. Numerical results of effective electroelastic moduli are presented for various types of piezoelectric inclusions and for various orientations and compared to existing experimental and theoretical ones.     

Eshelby's problem of non-elliptical inclusions

The Eshelby problem consists in determining the strain field of an infinite linearly elastic homogeneous medium due to a uniform eigenstrain prescribed over a subdomain, called inclusion, of the medium. The salient feature of Eshelby's solution for an ellipsoidal inclusion is that the strain tensor field inside the latter is uniform. This uniformity has the important consequence that the solution to the fundamental problem of determination of the strain field in an infinite linearly elastic homogeneous medium containing an embedded ellipsoidal inhomogeneity and subjected to remote uniform loading can be readily deduced from Eshelby's solution for an ellipsoidal inclusion upon imposing appropriate uniform eigenstrains. Based on this result, most of the existing micromechanics schemes dedicated to estimating the effective properties of inhomogeneous materials have been nevertheless applied to a number of materials of practical interest where inhomogeneities are in reality non-ellipsoidal. Aiming to examine the validity of the ellipsoidal approximation of inhomogeneities underlying various micromechanics schemes, we first derive a new boundary integral expression for calculating Eshelby's tensor field (ETF) in the context of two-dimensional isotropic elasticity. The simple and compact structure of the new boundary integral expression leads us to obtain the explicit expressions of ETF and its average for a wide variety of non-elliptical inclusions including arbitrary polygonal ones and those characterized by the finite Laurent series. In light of these new analytical results, we show that: (i) the elliptical approximation to the average of ETF is valid for a convex non-elliptical inclusion but becomes inacceptable for a non-convex non-elliptical inclusion; (ii) in general, the Eshelby tensor field inside a non-elliptical inclusion is quite non-uniform and cannot be replaced by its average; (iii) the substitution of the generalized Eshelby tensor involved in various micromechanics schemes by the average Eshelby tensor for non-elliptical inhomogeneities is in general inadmissible.     

Electroelastic behavior of piezoelectric composites with coated reinforcements: Micromechanical approach and applications

In this work, a micromechanical model for the estimate of the electroelastic behavior of the piezoelectric composites with coated reinforcements is proposed. The piezoelectric coating is considered as a thin layer with active electroelastic properties different from those of the inclusion and the matrix. The micromechanical approach based on the Green’s functions technique and on the interfacial operators is designed for solving the electroelasticity inhomogeneous coated inclusion problem. The effective properties of a piezoelectric composite containing thinly coated inclusions are obtained through the Mori–Tanaka’s model. Numerical investigations into electroelastic moduli responsible for the electromechanical coupling are presented as functions of the volume fraction and characteristics of the coated inclusions. Comparisons with existing analytical and numerical results are presented for cylindrical and elliptic coated inclusions.     

Propagation of shear elastic waves in composites with a random set of spherical inclusions (effective field approach)

The work is dedicated to the problem of plane monochromatic shear wave propagation through elastic matrix composite materials with a homogeneous random set of spherical inclusions. The effective field method (EFM) and quasi-crystalline approximation are used for the calculation of phase velocity and attenuation factor of the mean wave field propagating through the composite. The version of the method developed in the work allows us to obtain the dispersion equation for the wave vector of the mean wave field that serves for all frequencies of the incident field, properties and volume concentrations of the inclusions. The long- and short-wave asymptotic solutions of the dispersion equation are found in closed analytical forms. Numerical solutions of this equation are constructed in a wide region of frequencies that covers the long-, middle- and short-wave regions of the propagating waves. The phase velocities and attenuation factors of the mean wave field in the composites are analyzed for various elastic properties, density and volume concentrations of the inclusions. Comparisons of the predictions of the method with some numerical computation of the effective parameters of matrix composites are presented; possible errors in predictions of the velocities and attenuation factors of the mean wave field in the composites are indicated and discussed.     

Local effective thermoelastic properties of graded random structure matrix composites

Summary  We consider a linearly thermoelastic composite medium, which consists of a homogeneous matrix containing a statistically inhomogeneous random set of ellipsoidal uncoated or coated inclusions, where the concentration of the inclusions is a function of the coordinates (functionally graded material). Effective properties, such as compliance and thermal expansion coefficient, as well as first statistical moments of stresses in the components are estimated for the general case of inhomogeneity of the thermoelastic inclusion properties. The micromechanical approach is based on the Green function technique as well as on the generalization of the multiparticle effective field method (MEFM), previously proposed for the research of statistically homogeneous random structure composites. The hypothesis of effective field homogeneity near the inclusions is used; nonlocal effects of overall constitutive relations are not considered. Nonlocal dependences of local effective thermoelastic properties as well as those of conditional averages of the stresses in the components on the concentration of the inclusions are demonstrated. Received 11 November 1999; accepted for publication 4 May 2000     

Piezoelectric composites with periodic multi-coated inhomogeneities

A new, robust homogenization scheme for determination of the effective properties of a periodic piezoelectric composite with general multi-coated inhomogeneities is developed. In this scheme the coating does not have to be thin, the shape and orientation of the inclusion and coatings do not have to be identical, their centers do not have to coincide, their properties do not have to remain uniform, and the microstructure can be with the 2D elliptic or the 3D ellipsoidal inclusions. The development starts from the local electromechanical equivalent inclusion principle through the introduction of the position-dependent equivalent eigenstrain and electric field. Then with a Fourier series expansion and a superposition procedure, the volume-averaged equivalent eigenstrain and electric field for each phase are obtained. The results in turn are used in an energy equivalent criterion to determine the effective properties of the composite. In this model the interphase interactions in each multi-coated particle and the long-range interactions between the periodically distributed particles are fully accounted for. To demonstrate its wide range of applicability, we applied it to examine the properties of several periodic composites: (i) piezoelectric PZT spherical particles in a polymer matrix, (ii) continuous glassy fibers with thin PZT coating in an epoxy matrix, (iii) spherical PZT particles coated by thick or functionally graded piezoelectric layer, (iv) spheroidal voids coated with a thick non-piezoelectric layer in a PZT matrix, and (v) spherical piezoelectric inhomogeneities with eccentric, non-uniform thickness coating. The calculated results reflect the complex nature of interplay between the properties of core, matrix, and coating, as well as whether the coating is uniform, functionally graded, or eccentric. The accuracy of this new scheme is checked against the double-inclusion and other micromechanics models, and good agreement is observed.     

Interacting circular inclusions in antiplanepiezoelectricity

The problem of multiple piezoelectric circular inclusions, which are perfectly bondedto a piezoelectric matrix, is analyzed in the framework of linear piezoelectricity. Both the matrixand the inclusions are assumed to possess the symmetry of a hexagonal crystal in the 6 mm classand subject to electromechanical loadings (singularities) which produce in-plane electric fieldsand out-of-plane displacement. Based upon the complex variable theory and the method ofsuccessive approximations, the solution of electric field and displacement field either in theinclusions or in the matrix is expressed in terms of explicit series form. Stress and electric fieldconcentrations are studied in detail which are dependent on the mismatch in the materialconstants, the distance between two circular inclusions, and the magnitude of electromechanicalloadings. It is shown that, when the two inclusions approach each other, the oscillatory behaviorof the stress and electric field can be induced in the inclusion as the matrix and the inclusions arepoled in the opposite directions. This important phenomenon can be utilized to build a verysensitive sensor in a piezoelectric composite material system. The present derived solution canalso be applied to the inclusion problem with straight boundaries. The problem associated withthree-material media under electromechanical sources is also considered.     

Damage analysis of thermopiezoelectric properties: Part II. Effective crack model

Having completed the general formulation for temperature, heat flow, displacement, electric potential and displacements and mechanical stresses of a piezoelectric material as presented in part I of this work, part II is concerned with a generalized self-consistent approximate method for determining the thermoelectroelastic properties of piezoelectric materials weakened by microcracks. A representative area element is adopted; it contains a microcrack surrounded by an elliptic matrix in a solid with effective properties. Numerical results are given for a piezoelectric BatiO₃ ceramic. The effective conductivity and effective modulus are found to decrease with increasing crack density.     

A unified model for piezocomposites with non-piezoelectric matrix and piezoelectric ellipsoidal inclusions

In this paper, the closed-form solutions of the electroelastic Eshelbys tensors of a piezoelectric ellipsoidal inclusion in an infinite non-piezoelectric matrix are obtained via the Greens function technique. Based on the generalized Budianskys energy-equivalence framework and the closed-form solutions of the electroelastic Eshelbys tensors, a unified model for multiphase piezocomposites with the non-piezoelectric matrix and piezoelectric inclusions is set up. The closed-form solutions of the effective electroelastic moduli of piezocomposites are also obtained. The unified model has a rigorous but simple form, which can describe the multiphase piezocomposites with different connectivities, such as 0–3, 1–3, 2–2, 2–3, 3–3 connectivities, etc. It can also describe the effects of non-interaction and interaction among the inclusions. As examples, the closed-form solutions of the effective electroelastic moduli are given by means of the dilute solution for the 0–3 piezocomposite with transversely isotropic piezoelectric spherical inclusions and by means of the dilute solution and the Mori–Tanakas method for the 1–3 piezocomposite with two kinds of transversely isotropic piezoelectric cylindrical inclusions. The predicted results are compared with experimental data, which shows that the theoretical curves calculated by means of the Mori–Tanakas method agree quite well with the experimental values, but the theoretical curves obtained by the dilute solution agree well with the experimental values only when the volume fraction of the ceramic inclusion is less than 0.3. The results in this paper can be used to analyze and design the multiphase piezocomposites.     

双周期圆柱形压电夹杂反平面问题的精确解及其应用

研究无限压电介质中双周期圆柱形压电夹杂的反平面问题.借鉴Eshelby等效夹杂原理,通过引入双周期非均匀本征应变和本征电场,构造了一个与原问题等价的均匀介质双周期本征应变和本征电场问题.利用双准周期Riemann边值问题理论,获得了夹杂内外严格的电弹性解.作为压电纤维复合材料的一个重要模型,预测了压电纤维复合材料的有效电弹性模量.     

The averaged mechanical properties of prismatic lattice formed by ellipsoidal inclusions

Summary The objective of this paper is to evaluate the averaged elastic properties of 3-D grained composites in which identical inclusions form a prismatic network interacting with the matrix material. The inclusions are of ellipsoidal shape with transverse circular sections located at the nodes of a doubly-periodic lattice with an orthogonal elementary cell. When the arrays of inclusions are set at equal spacings in normal directions through the thickness of the matrix, the material formed is an anisotropic composite with tetragonal symmetry at planes transverse to the fiber axis. The longitudinal and transverse elastic and shear moduli as well as the longitudinal Poisson's ratios of such composites are evaluated in this paper. The averaged properties are studied in terms of the aspect ratio and volume fraction of the inclusions as well as the relative rigidity of the constituent phases. Employing the Eshelby's theory for the stress field around a single ellipsoidal inhomogeneity, which is surrounded by the effective anisotropic material, and considering the Mori-Tanaka's concept for the mutual interaction of the neighboring inclusions, we may evaluate the averaged elastic properties of grained composites with aligned ellipsoidal inclusions at finite concentrations. The results provided in a closed-form solution concern the stiffness of 3-D grained composites with parallely dispersed ellipsoidal inclusions forming a prismatic network inside the principal material. It is shown that the stiffness is affected by both the geometry of the inclusions and their concentration. The use of different composite models in the analysis shows that intense variations of stiffness occur mainly in hard composites weakened by soft ellipsoidal inclusions. These findings come in full verification with experimental or theoretical results from the literature. Received 10 February 1998; accepted for publication 27 November 1998     

The effective properties of piezocomposites, part I: Single inclusion problem

The problem of a piezoelectric ellipsoidal inclusion in an infinite nonpiezoelectric matrix is very important in engineering. In this paper, it is solved via Green's function technique. The closed-form solutions of the electroelastic Eshelby's tensors for this kind of problem are obtained. The electroelastic Eshelby's tensors can be expressed by the Eshelby's tensors of the perfectly elastic inclusion problem and the perfectly dielectric inclusion problem. Since the closed-form solutions of the Eshelby's tensors of the perfectly elastic inclusion problem and the perfectly dielectric inclusion problem can be given by theory of elasticity and electrodynamics, respectively, the electroelastic Eshelby's tensors can be obtained conveniently. Using these results, the closed-form solutions of the constraint elastic fields and the constraint electric fields inside the piezoelectric ellipsoidal inclusion are also obtained. These expressions can be readily utilized in solutions of numerous problems in the micromechanics of piezoelectric solids, such as the deformation and energy analysis, damage evolution and fracture of the piezoelectric materials. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China     

Application of results on Eshelby tensor to the determination of effective poroelastic properties of anisotropic rocks-like composites

The present work is devoted to the determination of the macroscopic poroelastic properties of anisotropic elastic porous materials saturated by a fluid under pressure. It makes use of the theoretical results provided by Withers [Withers, P.J., 1989. The determination of the elastic field of an ellipsoidal inclusion in a transversely isotropic medium, and its relevance to composite materials. Philosophical Magazine A 59 (4), 759–781.] for the problem of an ellipsoidal inclusion embedded in a transversely isotropic elastic medium. The particular case of a spherical inclusion is very important for rock-like composites such as argillite and shales. The implementation of these results in a micromechanical theory of poroelasticity allows to quantify the effects of the solid matrix anisotropy and of pore space on the effective poromechanical properties. Closed form expressions of Biot tensor and of Biot modulus are presented as well as numerical applications for anisotropic shales.     

On the solution of the dynamic Eshelby problem for inclusions of various shapes

In many dynamic applications of theoretical physics, for instance in electrodynamics, elastodynamics, and materials sciences (dynamic variant of Eshelby’s inclusion and inhomogeneity problems) the solution of the inhomogeneous Helmholtz equation (‘dynamic’ or Helmholtz potential) plays a crucial role. In materials sciences from such a solution the dynamical fields due to harmonically transforming eigenfields can be constructed. In contrast to the static Eshelby’s inclusion problem (Eshelby, 1957), due to its mathematical complexity, the dynamic variant of the problem is comparably little touched. Only for a restricted set of cases, namely for ellipsoidal, spheroidal and continuous fiber-inclusions, analytical approaches exist. For ellipsoidal shells we derive a 1D integral representation of the Helmholtz potential which is useful to be extended to inhomogeneous ellipsoidal source regions. We determine the dynamic potential and dynamic variant of the Eshelby tensor for arbitrary source densities and distributions by employing a numerical technique based on Gauss quadrature. We study a series of examples of Eshelby problems which are of interest for applications in materials sciences, such as for instance cubic and prismatic inclusions. The method is especially useful to be applied in self-consistent methods (e.g. the effective field method) if one looks for the effective dynamic characteristics of the material containing a random set of inclusions.     

Magnetostrictive composites in the dilute limit

We calculate the effective properties of a magnetostrictive composite in the dilute limit. The composite consists of well separated identical ellipsoidal particles of magnetostrictive material, surrounded by an elastic matrix. The free energy of the magnetostrictive particles is computed using the constrained theory of DeSimone and James [2002. A constrained theory of magnetoelasticity with applications to magnetic shape memory materials. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 50, 283-320], where application of an external field causes rearrangement of variants rather than rotation of the magnetization or elastic strain in a variant. The free energy of the composite has an elastic energy term associated with the deformation of the surrounding matrix and demagnetization terms. By using results from the constrained theory and from the Eshelby inclusion problem in linear elasticity, we show that the energy minimization problem for the composite can be cast as a quadratic programming problem. The solution of the quadratic programming problem yields the effective properties of Ni₂MnGa and Terfenol-D composite systems. Numerical results show that the average strain of the composite depends strongly on the particle shape, the applied stress, and the elastic modulus of the matrix.