Creep-rupture lifetime simulation of unidirectional metal matrix composites with and without time-dependent fiber breakage

A numerical simulation for predicting the axial creep-rupture lifetime of continuous fiber-reinforced metal matrix composites is proposed, based on the finite element method. The simulation model is composed of line elements representing the fibers and four-node isoparametric plane elements representing the matrix. While the fibers behave as an elastic body at all times, the matrix behaves as an elasto-plastic body at the loading process and an elasto-plastic creep body at the creep process. It is further assumed in the simulation that the fibers are fractured not only in stress criterion but time-dependently with random nature. Simulation results were compared with the creep-rupture lifetime data of a boron-aluminum composite with 10% fiber volume fraction experimentally obtained. The simulated creep-rupture lifetimes agreed well with the averages of the experimental data. The proposed simulation is further carried out to predict a possibility of creep-rupture for the composite without time-dependent fiber breakage. It is finally concluded that the creep-rupture of a boron-aluminum composite is closely related with the shear stress relaxation occurring in the matrix as well as time-dependent fiber breakage.     

含大量随机分布细小纤维的单向纤维增强复合材料横向弹性性能参数计算的内嵌区域模型法

利用有限元方法求取单向纤维增强复合材料的横向弹性性能参数的计算模型包括三维模型、两维平面应变模型、单胞模型等等.由于单胞模型仅仅适用于纤维规则排列情况.在纤维随机分布且纤维大小亦为随机时,单向纤维增强复合材料横向弹性性能参数必须通过对于复合材料块体的计算才能获得.同时在随机分布纤维的数量增大时,三维模型和二维平面应变模型的计算量急剧增加,模型的处理能力不强.该文提出一种利用内嵌区域模型来计算含大量随机大小、随机分布细小纤维的单向纤维增强复合材料块体的横向弹性性能参数的方法,有效降低了计算量.在较低的计算费用下,能够快速获得单向纤维增强复合材料的横向弹性性能参数.     

二维三轴编织复合材料的弹性性能分析

提出了二维三轴编织复合材料的几何模型,模型考虑了纤维束的弯曲扭转状态及空间交错特性等几何元素。基于体积平均法,建立了预测二维三轴编织复合材料弹性性能的理论分析模型;通过引入更普遍适用的周期性位移边界条件,结合二维三轴编织复合材料的细观实体结构,建立了分析其力学性能的有限元模型。两种模型预测结果均与试验结果吻合,证明了方法的合理有效性。分析了材料受载下的细观应力分布,并讨论了编织参数对材料性能的影响。研究表明,二维三轴编织复合材料轴向性能得到了增强,应力分布更均匀,编织角以及纤维体积含量对材料弹性性能影响较大。     

Micromechanical prediction of the two-way shape memory effect in shape memory alloy composites

The two-way shape memory effect in monolithic shape memory alloys has been widely investigated both theoretically and experimentally. In the present study, this effect is analyzed for shape memory alloy composites by employing a micromechanical model. To this end, the responses of polymeric matrix and metal matrix unidirectional composites with embedded shape memory alloy fibers are determined. For the polymeric matrix composite, the effect of axial, transverse and shear loadings as well as the fiber volume fraction on the resulting two-way shape memory behavior are studied. The local distributions of stresses among the shape memory alloy fiber and epoxy matrix in the low- and high-temperature shapes of the composite are also investigated. Two training procedures that generate the two-way shape memory effect in the metal matrix composite are offered. The present analysis shows that the two-way shape memory effect in the chosen type of metal matrix composite is not as useful as in the polymeric matrix one. Finally, for a polymeric matrix composite that is subjected to a transverse normal loading, the effect of imperfect bonding between the shape memory alloy fibers and the neighboring matrix is investigated.     

Onset of macroscopic instabilities in fiber-reinforced elastomers at finite strain

In this paper, we investigate theoretically the possible development of instabilities in fiber-reinforced elastomers (and other soft materials) when they are subjected to finite-strain loading conditions. We focus on the physically relevant class of “macroscopic” instabilities, i.e., instabilities with wavelengths that are much larger than the characteristic size of the underlying microstructure. To this end, we make use of recently developed homogenization estimates, together with a fundamental result of Geymonat, Müller and Triantafyllidis linking the development of these instabilities to the loss of strong ellipticity of the homogenized constitutive relations. For the important class of material systems with very stiff fibers and random microstructures, we derive a closed-form formula for the critical macroscopic deformation at which instabilities may develop under general loading conditions, and we show that this critical deformation is quite sensitive to the loading orientation relative to the fiber direction. The result is also confronted with classical estimates (including those of Rosen) for laminates, which have commonly been used as two-dimensional (2-D) approximations for actual fiber-reinforced composites. We find that while predictions based on laminate models are qualitatively correct for certain loadings, they can be significantly off for other more general 3-D loadings. Finally, we provide a parametric analysis of the effects of the matrix and fiber properties and of the fiber volume fraction on the onset of instabilities for various loading conditions.     

形状记忆合金纤维复合材料的等效力学行为

在Aboudi提出的胞元模型以及Liu等建立的形状记忆合金的本构模型的基础上，由Legendre多项式，假设每个子胞元的位移场、应变场和应力场，再由子胞元间交界面的应力连续条件和外荷载边界条件推导出基体为弹塑性材料的形状记忆合金纤维复合材料的胞元模型；模拟了呈周期对称的形状记忆合金纤维复合材料受轴向单向拉伸、横向拉伸和横向剪切荷载作用下的等效力学行为，与有限元解进行了比较，结果基本一致。与有限元法比较起来，本文推导出的形状记忆合金纤维复合材料的胞元模型更具高效性。     

基于显微CT图像的近场动力学建模与复合材料微结构破坏模拟

随着纤维增强复合材料应用领域的不断扩展且用量激增,亟需理清复合材料微观结构损伤对宏观力学性能影响的内在机制。因此,发展针对纤维增强复合材料微结构破坏过程的建模与高效模拟方法就显得十分重要。本文借助显微CT(Micro-computed Tomography)扫描技术,提出了一种基于显微CT图像中像素点离散的近场动力学建模与模拟方法。一方面,近场动力学作为一种由积分方程建模的非局部理论,便于采用基于空间点离散的数值计算方法,相比传统的连续介质力学能够更有效地模拟材料从连续变形到裂纹萌生与扩展(非连续变形)的全过程。另一方面,对显微CT图像使用像素点灰度阈值分割处理技术,能够快速建立含有复合材料原位微结构信息的空间点离散模型。该离散模型可以直接用于微结构破坏过程的近场动力学模拟,从而避免了传统的数值模拟技术需要依据像素点先建立光滑的几何模型、再划分成有限单元网格的复杂前处理过程,并且极大地保留了复合材料的原位组分分布信息。数值模拟结果表明,基于显微CT图像的近场动力学建模方法能够精确捕捉到复合材料微结构信息,并能准确模拟纤维增强复合材料的微结构破坏过程。     

Microscopic and macroscopic instabilities in finitely strained fiber-reinforced elastomers

The present work is a detailed study of the connections between microstructural instabilities and their macroscopic manifestations — as captured through the effective properties — in finitely strained fiber-reinforced elastomers, subjected to finite, plane-strain deformations normal to the fiber direction. The work, which is a complement to a previous and analogous investigation by the same authors on porous elastomers, (Michel et al., 2007), uses the linear comparison, second-order homogenization (S.O.H.) technique, initially developed for random media, to study the onset of failure in periodic fiber-reinforced elastomers and to compare the results to more accurate finite element method (F.E.M.) calculations. The influence of different fiber distributions (random and periodic), initial fiber volume fraction, matrix constitutive law and fiber cross-section on the microscopic buckling (for periodic microgeometries) and macroscopic loss of ellipticity (for all microgeometries) is investigated in detail. In addition, constraints to the principal solution due to fiber/matrix interface decohesion, matrix cavitation and fiber contact are also addressed. It is found that both microscopic and macroscopic instabilities can occur for periodic microstructures, due to a symmetry breaking in the periodic arrangement of the fibers. On the other hand, no instabilities are found for the case of random microstructures with circular section fibers, while only macroscopic instabilities are found for the case of elliptical section fibers, due to a symmetry breaking in their orientation.     

双周期圆截面纤维复合材料平面问题的解析法

结合双准周期Riemann边值问题理论与Eshelby等效夹杂原理，为双周期圆截面纤维复合材 料平面问题发展了一个实用有效的解析方法，获得了问题的全场级数解并与有限元结果进行 了比较. 该方法为非均匀材料的力学性质分析和复合材料等新材料的微结构设计提供了 一个有效的计算工具，也可用来评估有限元等数值与近似方法的精度.     

Strain-space plasticity analysis of fibrous composites

A strain-space formulation of plasticity theory for metal matrix fibrous composites is discussed. Specific results are obtained for a composite system in which the fibers are elastic until failure, while the matrix is of the Mises type, with kinematic hardening. The material model of the composite is based on the assumption that the fiber diameter is vanishingly small, and the fiber volume fraction is finite. Explicit expressions are obtained for instantaneous strain concentration factors in the phases, for the instantaneous overall stiffness, and for the overall loading surface and hardening rule during mechanical straining along a prescribed path.     

Dynamic plasticity and fracture in high density polycrystals: constitutive modeling and numerical simulation

Presented is a constitutive framework for modeling the dynamic response of polycrystalline microstructures, posed in a thermodynamically consistent manner and accounting for finite deformation, strain rate dependence of flow stress, thermal softening, thermal expansion, heat conduction, and thermoelastic coupling. Assumptions of linear and square-root dependencies, respectively, of the stored energy and flow stresses upon the total dislocation density enable calculation of the time-dependent fraction of plastic work converted to heat energy. Fracture at grain boundary interfaces is represented explicitly by cohesive zone models. Dynamic finite element simulations demonstrate the influences of interfacial separation, random crystallographic orientation, and grain morphology on the high-rate tensile response of a realistic two-phase material system consisting of comparatively brittle pure tungsten (W) grains embedded in a more ductile matrix of tungsten-nickel iron (W-Ni-Fe) alloy. Aspects associated with constitutive modeling of damage and failure in the homogenized material system are discussed in light of the computational results.     

Transient thermal stresses in two-dimensional functionally graded thick hollow cylinder with finite length

In this paper transient thermal stresses in a thick hollow cylinder with finite length made of two-dimensional functionally graded material (2D-FGM) based on classical theory of thermoelasticity are considered. The volume fraction distribution of materials, geometry and thermal load are assumed to be axisymmetric but not uniform along the axial direction. The finite element method with graded material properties within each element is used to model the structure. Temperature, displacements and stress distributions through the cylinder at different times are investigated. Also the effects of variation of material distribution in two radial and axial directions on the thermal stress distribution and time responses are studied. The achieved results show that using 2D-FGM leads to a more flexible design so that time responses of structure, maximum amplitude of stresses and uniformity of stress distributions can be modified to a required manner by selecting suitable material distribution profiles in two directions.     

The effective properties of composites with fiber-end cracks

The paper describes use of self-consistent finite element method (SCFEM) for predicting effective properties of fiber composite with partially debonded interface. The effective longitudinal Young's modulus and shear modulus for unidirectional fiber reinforced composites with fiber-end cracks are calculated. Numerical results show that the effective properties are considerably influenced by the fiber-end cracks. The effects of microstructural parameters, such as fiber volume fraction, modulus ratio of the constituents and fiber aspect, on the effective properties of the composites were discussed. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China     

A thermodynamical constitutive model for shape memory materials. Part II. The SMA composite material

The phenomenological SMA equations developed in Part I are used in this second paper to derive the free energy and dissipation of a SMA composite material. The derivation consists of solving a boundary value problem formulated over a mesoscale representative volume element, followed by an averaging procedure to obtain the macroscopic composite constitutive equations. Explicit equations are derived for the transformation tensors that relate the composite transformation strain rate to the phase transformation rate in the fiber and matrix. Some key findings for the two-way SME in a SMA fiber/elastomer matrix composite are that processing-induced residual stresses alter the composite austenite start and martensite start temperatures, as well as the amount of composite strain recovered during a complete cycle of temperature and fiber martensite volume fraction. Relative to the two-way SME response of stiff-matrix composites, it was found that compliant-matrix composites: (1) complete the phase transformation over a narrower temperature range; (2) exhibit greater transformation strain during the reverse transformation; and (3) undergo an incomplete strain cycle during a complete cycle of temperature and fiber martensite volume fraction. Due to the interaction of the fiber and matrix during transformation, macroscopic proportional stressing of the composite results in non-proportional fiber stressing, which in turn causes a small amount of martensitic reorientation to occur simultaneously with the transformation.     

Equivalent inhomogeneity method for evaluating the effective elastic properties of unidirectional multi-phase composites with surface/interface effects

A new technique is presented for evaluating the effective properties of linearly elastic, multi-phase unidirectional composites. Various effects on the fiber/matrix interfaces (perfect bond, homogeneously imperfect interfaces, uniform interphase layers) are allowed. The analysis of nano-composite materials based on the Gurtin and Murdoch model of material surface is also included. The basic idea of the approach is to construct a circular inhomogeneity in an infinite plane whose effects on the displacements and stresses at distant points are the same as those of a finite cluster of inhomogeneities (fibers of circular cross-section) arranged in a pattern representative of the composite material in question. The elastic properties of the equivalent inhomogeneity then define the effective elastic properties of the material. The volume ratio of the composite material is found after the size of the equivalent circular inhomogeneity is defined in the course of the solution procedure. This procedure is based on a semi-analytical solution of a problem of an infinite plane containing a cluster of non-overlapping circular inhomogeneities subjected to loading at infinity. The method works equally well for periodic and random composites and – importantly – eliminates the necessity for averaging either stresses or strains. New results for nano-composite materials are presented.     

Homogenization-based constitutive models for magnetorheological elastomers at finite strain

This paper proposes a new homogenization framework for magnetoelastic composites accounting for the effect of magnetic dipole interactions, as well as finite strains. In addition, it provides an application for magnetorheological elastomers via a “partial decoupling” approximation splitting the magnetoelastic energy into a purely mechanical component, together with a magnetostatic component evaluated in the deformed configuration of the composite, as estimated by means of the purely mechanical solution of the problem. It is argued that the resulting constitutive model for the material, which can account for the initial volume fraction, average shape, orientation and distribution of the magnetically anisotropic, non-spherical particles, should be quite accurate at least for perfectly aligned magnetic and mechanical loadings. The theory predicts the existence of certain “extra” stresses—arising in the composite beyond the purely mechanical and magnetic (Maxwell) stresses—which can be directly linked to deformation-induced changes in the microstructure. For the special case of isotropic distributions of magnetically isotropic, spherical particles, the extra stresses are due to changes in the particle two-point distribution function with the deformation, and are of order volume fraction squared, while the corresponding extra stresses for the case of aligned, ellipsoidal particles can be of order volume fraction, when changes are induced by the deformation in the orientation of the particles. The theory is capable of handling the strongly nonlinear effects associated with finite strains and magnetic saturation of the particles at sufficiently high deformations and magnetic fields, respectively.     

Stress concentrations in composites with interface sliding,matrix stiffness and uneven fiber spacing using shear lag theory

The stress concentrations near a single fiber break in a unidirectionally reinforced fiber composite are investigated using a shear lag theory within the framework of finite elements. A model for uniformly spaced, well bonded fibers embedded in a matrix that cannot carry axial loads that was formulated previously is first introduced. The solution of this problem involves Fourier transforms and requires only a two-dimensional numerical integration. The work described in the current paper characterizes the stress concentrations around a single fiber break in the presence of fiber/matrix interface sliding, axial matrix stiffness and uneven fiber spacing. Due to the introduction of these complicating factors, the model no longer lends itself to the simple Fourier transformation solution method. For the case of interface sliding a new method is developed to handle sliding in any shear lag system. For the cases of axial matrix stiffness and uneven fiber spacing a finite element code specifically written for this problem is used to determine the fiber stresses. The results are discussed in the context of global versus local load sharing, and the effects on composite failure.     

Buckling of nano-fibre reinforced composites: a re-examination of elastic buckling

Elastic buckling of layered/fibre reinforced composites is investigated. Assuming the existence of both shear and transverse modes of failure, the fibre is analysed as a layer embedded in a matrix. Interacting stresses, acting at the interfaces are determined from an exact derived stress field in the matrix. It is shown that buckling can occur only in the shear buckling mode and that the transverse buckling mode is spurious. As opposed to the well known Rosen shear buckling mode solution (predicated on an infinite buckling wavelength), shear buckling is shown to exist under two régimes: buckling of dilute composites with finite wavelengths and buckling of non-dilute composites with infinite wavelengths. Based on the analysis, a model is constructed which defines the fibre concentration at which the transition between the two régimes occurs. The buckling strains are shown to be (approximately) constant for dilute composites and, in the case of very stiff fibres, to have realistic values compatible with elastic behaviour. For the case of non-dilute composites, the strains are found to be in agreement with those given by the Rosen shear buckling solution. Numerical results for the buckling strains and stresses are presented and compared with the Rosen solution. These reveal that the Rosen solution is valid only for the case of non-dilute composites. The investigation demonstrates that elastic buckling may be a dominant failure mechanism of composites consisting of very stiff fibres fabricated in the framework of nano-technology.     

氧化铝纤维含量对Al2O3f＋Cf／ZL109混杂复合材料耐磨性能的影响

利用挤压铸造法制备了Al2O3f Cf/ZL09短纤维混杂金属基复合材料，并探讨了炭纤维体积分数为4％时，Al2O3纤维含量变化对该复合材料耐磨性能的影响。结果表明：随着Al2O3体积分数增加，复合材料的摩擦系数逐渐增大，复合材料从轻微磨损到急剧磨损的临界转变载荷大幅度提高，并随Al2O3含量的增加而逐渐增大；在临界载荷以下，影响复合材料磨损率的Al2O3含量临界值为12％，当Al2O3含量低于临界值时复合材料磨损表面无明显剥落，而当Al2O3含量超过临界值后，复合材料磨损表面存在大量的剥落坑，磨损率增大。