Three-dimensional continuum analysis for a unidirectional composite with a broken fiber

The three-dimensional problem of a periodic unidirectional composite with a penny-shaped crack traversing one of the fibers is analyzed by the continuum equations of elasticity. The solution of the crack problem is represented by a superposition of weighted unit normal displacement jump solutions, everyone of which forms a Green’s function. The Green’s functions for the unbounded periodic composite are obtained by the combined use of the representative cell method and the higher-order theory. The representative cell method, based on the triple discrete Fourier transform, allows the reduction of the problem of an infinite domain to a problem of a finite one in the transform space. This problem is solved by the higher-order theory according to which the transformed displacement vector is expressed by a second order expansion in terms of local coordinates, in conjunction with the equilibrium equations and the relevant boundary conditions. The actual elastic field is obtained by a numerical evaluation of the inverse transform. The accuracy of the suggested approach is verified by a comparison with the exact analytical solution for a penny-shaped crack embedded in a homogeneous medium. Results for a unidirectional composite with a broken fiber are given for various fiber volume fractions and fiber-to-matrix stiffness ratios. It is shown that for certain parameter combinations the use of the average stress in the fiber, as it is employed in the framework of the shear lag approach, for the prediction of composite’s strength, leads to an over estimation. To this end, the concept of “point stress concentration factor” is introduced to characterize the strength of the composite with a broken fiber. Several generalizations of the proposed approach are offered.     

Stress concentration and effective stiffness of aligned fiber reinforced composite with anisotropic constituents

The paper addresses the problem of calculation of the local stress field and effective elastic properties of a unidirectional fiber reinforced composite with anisotropic constituents. For this aim, the representative unit cell approach has been utilized. The micro geometry of the composite is modeled by a periodic structure with a unit cell containing multiple circular fibers. The number of fibers is sufficient to account for the micro structure statistics of composite. A new method based on the multipole expansion technique is developed to obtain the exact series solution for the micro stress field. The method combines the principle of superposition, technique of complex potentials and some new results in the theory of special functions. A proper choice of potentials and new results for their series expansions allow one to reduce the boundary-value problem for the multiple-connected domain to an ordinary, well-posed set of linear algebraic equations. This reduction provides high numerical efficiency of the developed method. Exact expressions for the components of the effective stiffness tensor have been obtained by analytical averaging of the strain and stress fields.     

Overall electromechanical properties of a binary composite with 622 symmetry constituents.: Antiplane shear piezoelectric state

A binary composite is studied here, where the electroelastic properties of the constituent materials belong to the crystal class 622. A square arrangement of long continuous circular cylinders, the fiber phase, embedded in a homogeneous medium is consider here. The composite is in a state of antiplane shear piezoelectricity, that is, a coupled state of out-of-plane mechanical displacement and in-plane electric field, which is characterized by three electroelastic parameters: longitudinal shear modulus, shear stress piezoelectric coefficient and transverse dielectric constant. Our interest here lies in the determination of its effective properties. They are derived by means of the method of two spatial scales. Closed-form expressions are obtained for them. Only one of the four local (or canonical) problems that arise is needed. Two properties are thus found. The Milgrom–Shtrikman compatibility relation is used to fix the remaining one. The local problem is solved using potential methods of a complex variable. The solution involves doubly periodic Weierstrass elliptic and related functions. The final formulae for the overall properties show explicitly the dependence on (i) the properties of the phases, (ii) the radius of the cylindrical fiber and (iii) the lattice sums associated with the square array. The shear modulus is shown to depend explicitly not only on the rigidity of the phases but also on their piezoelectric and dielectric coefficients. Some natural organic substances have the symmetry 622 like collagen. Recently Silva et al. measured its electroelastic properties. Their data is used to show some numerical results of the derived formulae as a function of the fiber volumetric fraction.     

纤维增强复合材料热隐身斗篷设计

基于变换热动力学原理可获得具有热隐身性能的隐身结构(隐身斗篷)所需要的材料性质的空间分布。但这种材料性质的复杂分布形式以及局部热传导性能无限大等极值性质需求,使得隐身斗篷设计的实现非常困难,需要研究基于常规材料的隐身斗篷设计。本文基于常规材料的热隐身结构实现问题,提出了基于纤维增强复合材料圆环结构的实现热隐身的结构形式。首先,基于变换热动力学原理获得热隐身所需的热传导系数沿半径方向的变化规律;进而,通过设计复合材料不同位置的纤维铺设方式(含量和铺设方向)实现热隐身对材料性能的需求。选择金属银作为纤维,空气作为基体,设计出了具有热隐身性能的复合材料圆环结构纤维含量和铺设方向沿径向的分布方案。对该设计方案进行数值仿真,结果显示所设计的隐身结构具有良好的热隐身性能。由于设计方案基于常规材料,因此具有容易实现的优点。     

Transverse conductivity and longitudinal shear of elliptic fiber composite with imperfect interface

The paper addresses the problem of calculating the local fields and effective transport properties and longitudinal shear stiffness of elliptic fiber composite with imperfect interface. The Rayleigh type representative unit cell approach has been used. The micro geometry of composite is modeled by a periodic structure with a unit cell containing multiple elliptic inclusions. The developed method combines the superposition principle, the technique of complex potentials and certain new results in the theory of special functions. An appropriate choice of the potentials provides reducing the boundary-value problem to an ordinary, well-posed set of linear algebraic equations. The exact finite form expression of the effective stiffness tensor has been obtained by analytical averaging the local gradient and flux fields. The convergence of solution has been verified and the parametric study of the model has been performed. The obtained accurate, statistically meaningful results illustrate a substantial effect of imperfect interface on the effective behavior of composite.     

A local finite element implementation for imposing periodic boundary conditions on composite micromechanical models

Recent advances in computational speed have resulted in the ability to model composite materials using larger representative volume elements (RVEs) with greater numbers of inclusions than have been previously studied. Imposing periodic boundary conditions on very large RVEs can mean enforcing thousands of constraint equations. In addition, a periodic mesh is essential for enforcing the constraints. The present study investigates a method that uses a local implementation of the constraints that does not adversely affect the computational speed. The present study demonstrates the method for two-dimensional triangular and square RVEs of periodically-spaced regular hexagonal and square arrays of composite material containing fibers of equal radii. To impose the boundary conditions along the edges, this study utilizes a cubic interpolant to model the displacement field along the matrix edges and a linear interpolant to model the field along the fiber edges. It is shown that the method eliminates the need for the conventional node-coupling scheme for imposing periodic boundary conditions, consequently reducing the number of unknowns to the interior degrees of freedom of the RVE along with a small number of global parameters. The method is demonstrated for periodic and non-periodic mesh designs.     

Antiplane magneto-electro-elastic effective properties of three-phase fiber composites

In the present work, applying the asymptotic homogenization method (AHM), the derivation of the antiplane effective properties for three-phase magneto-electro-elastic fiber unidirectional reinforced composite with parallelogram cell symmetry is reported. Closed analytical expressions for the antiplane local problems on the periodic cell and the corresponding effective coefficients are provided. Matrix and inclusions materials belong to symmetry class 6mm. Numerical results are reported and compared with the eigenfunction expansion-variational method (EEVM) and other theoretical models. Good agreements are found for these comparisons. In addition, with the herein implemented solution, it is possible to reproduce the effective properties of the reduced cases such as piezoelectric or elastic composites obtaining good agreements with previous reports.     

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.     

Harmonic waves in three-dimensional elastic composites

For a periodic elastic composite which consists of a matrix and fibers with finite dimensions (i.e. a three-dimensional problem), here are given estimates for eigenfrequencies and eigenfunctions. Calculations are based on a new quotient which has been proposed by Nemat-Nasser. The periodic character of the eigenfrequencies is pointed out, and illustrative examples are given.     

Multi-scale FE computation for the structures of composite materials with small periodic configuration under condition of coupled thermoelasticity

In this paper, the multi-scale computational method for a structure of composite materials with a small periodic configuration under the coupled thermoelasticity condition is presented. The two-scale asymptotic (TSA) expression of the displacement and the increment of temperature for composite materials with a small periodic configuration under the condition of thermoelasticity are briefly shown at first, then the multi-scale finite element algorithms based on TSA are discussed. Finally the numerical results evaluated by the multi-scale computational method are shown. It demonstrates that the basic configuration and the increment of temperature strongly influence the local strains and local stresses inside a basic cell. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (19932030) and Special Funds for Major State Basic Research Projects     

Multiple cracking of fiber/matrix composites—Analysis of normal extension

This paper is concerned with the fracture of a fiber embedded in a matrix of finite radius. There is a periodic array of cracks in the fiber along the central axis of the medium. The paper accounts for the cases of axial extension and residual temperature change of the composite medium. Fourier and Hankel transforms are used to reduce the problem to the solution of a system of dual integral equations, which are solved by the singular integral equation technique. Rigorous fracture mechanics analysis, which exactly satisfies all boundary conditions of the problem, is conducted. Numerical solutions for the crack tip field and the stress in the fiber are obtained for various values such as crack radius, crack spacing and fiber volume fraction.     

含共晶界面陶瓷复合材料的损伤应变场分析

研究了含共晶界面陶瓷复合材料的损伤应变场及其尺度效应。根据含共晶界面复合陶瓷的细观结构特性,利用含共晶界面陶瓷复合材料中三相胞元内的应力场分布规律,得出棒状共晶体内的无损应变场分布规律。针对棒状共晶体内存在损伤的现象,通过引入损伤变量,利用三相模型法得到了棒状共晶体内存在损伤时的应变场分布规律;根据应变和纤维状夹杂直径之间的关系,分析了棒状共晶体内的损伤应变场及其尺度效应。结果表明,含共晶界面陶瓷复合材料内三相胞元中基体、界面相和纤维夹杂内的损伤应变场对纤维夹杂直径具有明显的尺度效应。     

Double Hopf bifurcation of composite laminated piezoelectric plate subjected to external and internal excitations

The double Hopf bifurcation of a composite laminated piezoelectric plate with combined external and internal excitations is studied. Using a multiple scale method, the average equations are obtained in two coordinates. The bifurcation response equations of the composite laminated piezoelectric plate with the primary parameter resonance, i.e.,1:3 internal resonance, are achieved. Then, the bifurcation feature of bifurcation equations is considered using the singularity theory. A bifurcation diagram is obtained on the parameter plane. Different steady state solutions of the average equations are analyzed.By numerical simulation, periodic vibration and quasi-periodic vibration responses of the composite laminated piezoelectric plate are obtained.     

A two-scale method for identifying mechanical parameters of composite materials with periodic configuration

In this paper, a two-scale method (TSM) is presented for identifying the mechanics parameters such as stiffness and strength of composite materials with small periodic configuration. Firstly, a formulation is briefly given for two-scale analysis (TSA) of the composite materials. And then a two-scale computation formulation of strains and stresses is developed by displacement solution with orthotropic material coefficients for three kinds of such composites structures, i.e., the tension column with a square cross section, the bending cantilever with a rectangular cross section and the torsion column with a circle cross section. The strength formulas for the three kinds of structures are derived and the TSM procedure is discussed. Finally the numerical results of stiffness and strength are presented and compared with experimental data. It shows that the TSM method in this paper is feasible and valid for predicting both the stiffness and the strength of the composite materials with periodic configuration.The project supported by the Special Funds for Major State Basic Research Project (2005CB321704) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10590353 and 90405016). The English text was polished by Yunming Chen.     

缝合复合材料层板面内局部纤维弯曲模型及剪切强度预报

提出了面内局部纤维弯曲模型,基于有限元法和周期性边界条件建立了缝合层板面内剪切强度分析方法,采用桥联模型和最大应力判据分析损伤扩展并获得面内剪切强度,预报结果与试验吻合较好,探讨了缝合参数对层合板面内剪切强度的影响规律,结果表明缝合削弱了层合板的面内剪切强度,缝合针距和行距越大对面内剪切强度越有利,较细的缝合线对面内剪切强度有利.     

Higher-order theory for periodic multiphase materials with inelastic phases

An extension of a recently-developed linear thermoelastic theory for multiphase periodic materials is presented which admits inelastic behavior of the constituent phases. The extended theory is capable of accurately estimating both the effective inelastic response of a periodic multiphase composite and the local stress and strain fields in the individual phases. The model is presently limited to materials characterized by constituent phases that are continuous in one direction, but arbitrarily distributed within the repeating unit cell which characterizes the material's periodic microstructure. The model's analytical framework is based on the homogenization technique for periodic media, but the method of solution for the local displacement and stress fields borrows concepts previously employed by the authors in constructing the higher-order theory for functionally graded materials, in contrast with the standard finite-element solution method typically used in conjunction with the homogenization technique. The present approach produces a closed-form macroscopic constitutive equation for a periodic multiphase material valid for both uniaxial and multiaxial loading. The model's predictive accuracy in generating both the effective inelastic stress-strain response and the local stress and inelastic strain fields is demonstrated by comparison with the results of an analytical inelastic solution for the axisymmetric and axial shear response of a unidirectional composite based on the concentric cylinder model and with finite-element results for transverse loading.     

Effective elastic moduli of composites reinforced by particle or fiber with an inhomogeneous interphase

The solution of the strain energy change of an infinite matrix due to the presence of one spherical particle or cylindrical fiber surrounded by an inhomogeneous interphase is the basis of solving effective elastic moduli of corresponding composites based on various micromechanics models. In order to find out the strain energy change, the composite sphere or cylinder, i.e., the spherical particle or cylindrical fiber together with its interphase, is replaced by an effective homogeneous particle or fiber. Independent governing differential equations for each modulus of the effective particle or fiber are derived by extending the replacement method [J. Mech. Phys. Solids 12 (1964) 199]. As far as the strain energy changes of the infinite matrix subjected to various far-field stress systems are concerned, the present model is simple. Meanwhile, FEM analysis is carried out for a verification, which shows that the model can lead to rather accurate results for most practical interphases. Besides, to check the validity of the model further when the interactions among composite cylinders exist, the two problems of an infinite matrix containing two composite cylinders and the effective moduli of composites with the equilateral triangular distribution of composite cylinders are analyzed using FEM. The FEM results show that the model is still rather accurate, especially for the case of interphase properties varying between those of fiber and matrix. Therefore, composite spheres or cylinders are assumed as the effective homogeneous particles or fibers and simple expressions of the effective moduli of composites containing the composite spheres or cylinders are obtained. Furthermore, the present model is compared with some existing models that are based on very complicated derivations.     

Plane problem of elasticity for an anisotropic body with doubly periodic systems of thin inhomogeneities

A system of integral equations of the boundary element method for studying doubly periodic systems of thin inclusions in anisotropic bodies is constructed. Several dependences for determining the mean stresses and strains of a composite with regular systems of thin inhomogeneities are obtained. Numerical procedures of the proposed method are implemented, and generalized stress intensity factors are calculated together with the effective elasticity moduli of a composite with doubly periodic systems of thin elastic inclusions.     

An analytical and numerical approach for calculating effective material coefficients of piezoelectric fiber composites

The present work deals with the modeling of 1–3 periodic composites made of piezoceramic (PZT) fibers embedded in a soft non-piezoelectric matrix (polymer). We especially focus on predicting the effective coefficients of periodic transversely isotropic piezoelectric fiber composites using representative volume element method (unit cell method). In this paper the focus is on square arrangements of cylindrical fibers in the composite. Two ways for calculating the effective coefficients are presented, an analytical and a numerical approach. The analytical solution is based on the asymptotic homogenization method (AHM) and for the numerical approach the finite element method (FEM) is used. Special attention is given on definition of appropriate boundary conditions for the unit cell to ensure periodicity. With the two introduced methods the effective coefficients were calculated for different fiber volume fractions. Finally the results are compared and discussed.     

Meso cell model of fiber reinforced composite: Interface stress statistics and debonding paths

The primary goal of this work is to develop an efficient analytical tool for the computer simulation of progressive damage in the fiber reinforced composite (FRC) materials and thus to provide the micro mechanics-based theoretical framework for a deeper insight into fatigue phenomena in them. An accurate solution has been obtained for the micro stress field in a meso cell model of fibrous composite. The developed method combines the superposition principle, Kolosov–Muskhelishvili’s technique of complex potentials and Fourier series expansion. By using the properly chosen periodic potentials, the primary boundary-value problem stated on the multiple-connected domain has been reduced to an ordinary, well-posed set of linear algebraic equations. The meso cell can include up to several hundred inclusions which is sufficient to account for the micro structure statistics of composite. The presented numerical examples demonstrate an accuracy and high numerical efficiency of the method which makes it to be a promising tool for studying progressive damage in FRCs. By averaging over a number of random structure realizations, the statistically meaningful results have been obtained for both the local stress and effective elastic moduli of disordered fibrous composite. A special attention has been paid to the interface stress statistics and the fiber debonding paths development, which appear to correlate well with the experimental observations.