A novel implementation algorithm of asymptotic homogenization for predicting the effective coefficient of thermal expansion of periodic composite materials

Asymptotic homogenization (AH) is a general method for predicting the effective coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of periodic composites. It has a rigorous mathematical foundation and can give an accurate solution if the macrostructure is large enough to comprise an infinite number of unit cells. In this paper, a novel implementation algorithm of asymptotic homogenization (NIAH) is devel-oped to calculate the effective CTE of periodic composite materials. Compared with the previous implementation of AH, there are two obvious advantages. One is its implemen-tation as simple as representative volume element (RVE). The new algorithm can be executed easily using commercial finite element analysis (FEA) software as a black box. The detailed process of the new implementation of AH has been provided. The other is that NIAH can simultaneously use more than one element type to discretize a unit cell, which can save much computational cost in predicting the CTE of a complex structure. Several examples are carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new implementation. This work is expected to greatly promote the widespread use of AH in predicting the CTE of periodic composite materials.     

Design sensitivity analysis for the homogenized elasticity tensor of a polymer filled with rubber particles

The main purpose of this work is the computational simulation of the sensitivity coefficients of the homogenized tensor for a polymer filled with rubber particles with respect to the material parameters of the constituents. The Representative Volume Element (RVE) of this composite contains a single spherical particle, and the composite components are treated as homogeneous isotropic media, resulting in an isotropic effective homogenized material. The sensitivity analysis presented in this paper is performed via the provided semi-analytical technique using the commercial FEM code ABAQUS and the symbolic computation package MAPLE. The analytical method applied for comparison uses the additional algebraic formulas derived for the homogenized tensor for a medium filled with spherical inclusions, while the FEM-based technique employs the polynomial response functions recovered from the Weighted Least-Squares Method. The homogenization technique consists of equating the strain energies for the real composite and the artificial isotropic material characterized by the effective elasticity tensor. The homogenization problem is solved using ABAQUS by the application of uniform deformations on specific outer surfaces of the composite RVE and the use of tetrahedral finite elements C3D4. The energy approach will allow for the future application of more realistic constitutive models of rubber-filled polymers such as that of Mullins and for RVEs of larger size that contain an agglomeration of rubber particles.     

HOMOGENIZATION—BASED TOPOLOGY DESIGN FOR PURE TORSION OF COMPOSITE SHAFTS

In conjunction with the homogenization theory and the finite element method, the mathematical models for designing the corss-section of composite shafts by maximizing the torsion rigidity are developed in this paper. To obtain the extremal torsion rigidity, both the cross-section of the macro scale shaft and the representative microstructure of the composite material are optimized using the new models. The micro scale computational model addresses the problem of finding the periodic microstructures with extreme shear moduli. The optimal microstructure obtained with the new model and the homogenization method can be used to improve and optimize natural or artificial materials. In order to be more practical for engineering applications, cellular materials rather than ranked materials are used in the optimal process in the existence of optimal bounds for the elastic properties. Moreover, the macro scale model is proposed to optimize the cross-section of the torsional shaft based on the tailared composites. The validating optimal results show that the models are very effective in obtaining composites with extreme elastic properties, and the cross-section of the composite shaft with the extremal torsion rigidity. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10172078 and 10102018)     

Limit analysis of composite materials based on an ellipsoid yield criterion

Employing repeating unit cell (RUC) to represent the microstructure of periodic composite materials, this paper develops a numerical technique to calculate the plastic limit loads and failure modes of composites by means of homogenization technique and limit analysis in conjunction with the displacement-based finite element method. With the aid of homogenization theory, the classical kinematic limit theorem is generalized to incorporate the microstructure of composites. Using an associated flow rule, the plastic dissipation power for an ellipsoid yield criterion is expressed in terms of the kinematically admissible velocity. Based on nonlinear mathematical programming techniques, the finite element modelling of kinematic limit analysis is then developed as a nonlinear mathematical programming problem subject to only a small number of equality constraints. The objective function corresponds to the plastic dissipation power which is to be minimized and an upper bound to the limit load of a composite is then obtained. The nonlinear formulation has a very small number of constraints and requires much less computational effort than a linear formulation. An effective, direct iterative algorithm is proposed to solve the resulting nonlinear programming problem. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method have been validated by several numerical examples. The proposed method can provide theoretical foundation and serve as a powerful numerical tool for the engineering design of composite materials.     

基于迭代法的非线性弹性均质化研究

微观结构对复合材料的宏观力学性能具有至关重要的影响, 通过合理设计复合材料微观结构可以得到期望的宏观性能. 均质化方法作为一种有效的设计方法, 它从微观结构的角度出发, 利用均匀化的概念, 实现了对复合材料宏观力学性能的预测和设计. 而当考虑非线性因素, 均质化的实现就非常困难. 本文利用双渐近展开方法, 将位移按照宏观位移和微观位移展开, 推导了非线性弹性均质化方程. 通过直接迭代法, 对非线性弹性均质化方程进行了求解, 并给出了具体的迭代方法和实现步骤. 本文基于迭代步骤和非线性弹性均质化方程编写MATLAB 程序, 对3种典型本构关系的周期性多孔材料平面问题进行了计算, 对比细致模型的应变能、最大位移和等效泊松比, 对程序及迭代方法的准确性进行了验证. 之后对一种三元橡胶基复合材料进行多尺度均质化, 将其分为芯丝尺度和层间尺度. 用线弹性的均质化方法得到了芯丝尺度的等效弹性参数, 并将其作为层间尺度的材料参数. 在层间尺度应用非线性弹性均质化方法对结构进行计算, 得到材料的宏观等效性能, 并以实验结果为基准进行评价.      

Sensitivity and randomness in homogenization of periodic fiber-reinforced composites via the response function method

The main issue this paper addresses is the derivation and implementation of a general homogenization method, including the simultaneous determination of sensitivity gradients and probabilistic moments of the effective elasticity tensor. This is possible with an application of the perturbation method based on Taylor expansion and with the effective modules method. The computational procedure is implemented using plane strain analysis carried out with the finite element method (program MCCEFF) and the symbolic computations system MAPLE. The sensitivity gradients and probabilistic moments are commonly determined on the basis of partial derivatives for the homogenized elasticity tensor, calculated using the response function method with respect to some composite parameters. They are subjected separately to a normalization procedure (in deterministic analysis) and the relevant algebraic combinations (for the stochastic case). This enriched homogenization procedure is tested on a periodic fiber-reinforced two component composite, where the material parameters are taken as design variables and then, the input random quantities. The results of computational analysis are compared against the results of the central finite difference approach in the case of sensitivity gradients determination as well as the direct Monte-Carlo simulation approach. This numerical methodology may be further applied not only in the context of the homogenization method, but also to extend various discrete computational techniques, such as Boundary/Finite element and finite difference together with various meshless methods.     

复合材料扭转轴截面微结构拓扑优化设计

提出复合材料扭转轴截面微结构拓扑优化设计新模型，模型的优化目标是获得具有最大宏观剪切特性加权和的单胞形式．通过模型和均匀化方法及优化技术可以获得优化的微结构单胞，进而改善或者得到最优宏观弹性特性的复合材料．为了便于制造和应用，胞体材料用来获得复合材料的极值剪切模量．最后的优化结果表明，该模型连同数值处理技巧可以非常有效地实现微结构的拓扑优化设计．     

复合材料应力分析的均匀化方法

建立了基于均匀化理论的确定复合材料结构应力场的方法．其实质是用均质的宏观结构和非均质的具有周期性分布的细观结构描述原结构；将力学量表示成关于宏观坐标和细观坐标的函数，并用细观和宏观两种尺度之比为小参数展开，用摄动技术将原问题化为一细观均匀化问题和一宏观均匀化问题．这两个问题的解确定了包含等效位移和一阶近似位移的位移场，由此获得应力场．利用该方法给出了圆柱形孔隙材料和单向纤维复合材料在单向拉伸时的应力场以及空隙材料简支梁的局部应力场，说明了该方法的有效性     

Asymptotic homogenization of three-dimensional thermoelectric composites

Thermoelectric composites are promising for high efficiency energy conversion between thermal flows and electric conduction, though their effective behaviors remain poorly understood due to nonlinear thermoelectric coupling. In this paper, we develop an asymptotic homogenization theory to analyze the effective behavior of three-dimensional (3D) thermoelectric composites, built on the observation that the equations governing microscopic field fluctuations in the composite are actually linear instead of nonlinear after separation of length scales. A set of solutions similar to Green's function method are used to construct the unit cell problem, and appropriate interfacial continuity conditions and boundary conditions are derived. The homogenized governing equations are then developed for thermoelectric composites, and they are further reduced for a special case wherein the heat flow and electric conduction in the composite remains one-dimensional (1D) at macroscopic scale, even though the composite itself is 3D in general. The general homogenization theory is implemented using finite element method, and a key constant in the constructed solutions is determined using the reformulated eigenvalue problem. The algorithm is validated, and is applied for a number of case studies for the effective behavior of thermoelectric composites.     

Novel numerical implementation of asymptotic homogenization method for periodic plate structures

The present paper develops and implements finite element formulation for the asymptotic homogenization theory for periodic composite plate and shell structures, earlier developed in  and , and thus adopts this analytical method for the analysis of periodic inhomogeneous plates and shells with more complicated periodic microstructures. It provides a benchmark test platform for evaluating various methods such as representative volume approaches to calculate effective properties. Furthermore, the new numerical implementation (Cheng et al., 2013) of asymptotic homogenization method of 2D and 3D materials with periodic microstructure is shown to be directly applicable to predict effective properties of periodic plates without any complicated mathematical derivation. The new numerical implementation is based on the rigorous mathematical foundation of the asymptotic homogenization method, and also simplicity similar to the representative volume method. It can be applied easily using commercial software as a black box. Different kinds of elements and modeling techniques available in commercial software can be used to discretize the unit cell. Several numerical examples are given to demonstrate the validity of the proposed methods.     

The homogenization method for the study of variation of Poisson's ratio in fiber composites

Summary Materials with specific microstructural characteristics and composite structures are able to exhibit negative Poisson's ratio. This fact has been shown to be valid for certain mechanisms, composites with voids and frameworks and has recently been verified for microstructures optimally designed by the homogenization approach. For microstructures composed of beams, it has been postulated that nonconvex shapes (with reentrant corners) are responsible for this effect. In this paper, it is numerically shown that mainly the shape, but also the ratio of shear-to-bending rigidity of the beams do influence the apparent (phenomenological) Poisson's ratio. The same is valid for continua with voids, or for composites with irregular shapes of inclusions, even if the constituents are quite usual materials, provided that their porosity is strongly manifested. Elements of the numerical homogenization theory and first attempts towards an optimal design theory are presented in this paper and applied for a numerical investigation of such types of materials. Received 11 March 1997; accepted for publication 12 September 1997     

确定复合材料宏观屈服准则的细观力学方法

运用细观力学中的均匀化方法，分析了含周期性微结构复合材料的宏观屈服准则，并对Hill-Tsai准则进行了修正。从基于复合材料细观结构的代表性胞元入手，运用塑性极限理论中的机动分析以及有限元方法，计算了细观结构的极限载荷域。通过宏细观尺度对应关系，得到复合材料的宏观屈服准则。     

A LOWER BOUND LIMIT ANALYSIS OF DUCTILE COMPOSITE MATERIALS

The plastic load-bearing capacity of ductile composites such as metal matrix composites is studied with an insight into the microstructures. The macroscopic strength of a composite is obtained by combining the homogenization theory with static limit analysis, where the temperature parameter method is used to construct the self-equilibrium stress field. An interface failure model is proposed to account for the effects of the interface on the failure of composites. The static limit analysis with the finite-element method is then formulated as a constrained nonlinear programming problem, which is solved by the Sequential Quadratic Programming （SQP） method. Finally, the macroscopic transverse strength of perforated materials, the macroscopic transverse and off-axis strength of fiber-reinforced composites are obtained through numerical calculation. The computational results are in good agreement with the experimental data.     

复合材料周期性线弹性微结构的拓扑优化设计

提出复合材料周期性线弹性微结构拓扑优化设计的模型，模型1设计具有极值弹性特性的复合材料，模型2设计工况最刚微结构单胞。通过该模型和均匀化技术可以获得优化的微结构单胞，进而改善或者得到最优宏观特性的复合材料。为了便于制造和应用，用胞体材料而不是多相材料来得到复合材料的极值弹性特性和最大刚度。优化结果表明，该模型与数值方法相结合可以有效地实现微结构的拓扑优化设计。     

基于均匀化理论韧性复合材料塑性极限分析

运用细观力学中的均匀化方法分析了韧性复合材料的塑性极限承载能力.从反映复合材料细观结构的代表性胞元入手,将均匀化理论运用到塑性极限分析中,计算由理想刚塑性、Mises组分材料构成的复合材料的极限承载能力.运用机动极限方法和有限元技术,最终将上述问题归结为求解一组带等式约束的非线性数学规划问题,并采用一种无搜索直接迭代算法求解.为复合材料的强度分析提供了一个有效手段.     

三维编织复合材料模量的双尺度有限元计算

针对三维编织复合材料的力学性能进行了双尺度有限元(TSA)数值计算,给出了计算模型和算法过程,并将数值结果与文献中的实验数据进行了比较,验证了算法的物理准确性。编织复合材料的力学性能不仅依赖于材料的基本组份,也与细观构造相关。双尺度有限元计算可以数值模拟出三维编织复合材料的整体力学性能,从而为材料的研发提供指导。本文的双尺度有限元三维数值计算方法可以推广到其他增强／孔隙等多相复合材料的数值模拟。     

考虑材料设计变量的热-固耦合结构的优化设计

从材料-结构协同设计的角度研究了热-固耦合结构的优化设计问题,将决定结构材料性质的细观参数与结构宏观几何参数作为设计变量,利用均匀化方法推导了细观设计变量灵敏度显式计算式,并结合耦合场有限元方程构造了耦合场设计变量灵敏度计算式;提出了材料-结构协同设计的三种优化设计模型.利用结构响应最小优化模型对算例进行了计算,比较了宏观设计变量优化和材料-结构协同设计优化的效果.计算结果显示,材料-结构协同优化设计可以取得较单一宏观设计变量更好的优化效果.     

Objective evaluation of linearization procedures in nonlinear homogenization: A methodology and some implications on the accuracy of micromechanical schemes

A systematic methodology for an accurate evaluation of various existing linearization procedures sustaining mean fields theories for nonlinear composites is proposed and applied to recent homogenization methods. It relies on the analysis of a periodic composite for which an exact resolution of both the original nonlinear homogenization problem and the linear homogenization problems associated with the chosen linear comparison composite (LCC) with an identical microstructure is possible. The effects of the sole linearization scheme can then be evaluated without ambiguity. This methodology is applied to three different two-phase materials in which the constitutive behavior of at least one constituent is nonlinear elastic (or viscoplastic): a reinforced composite, a material in which both phases are nonlinear and a porous material. Comparisons performed on these three materials between the considered homogenization schemes and the reference solution bear out the relevance and the performances of the modified second-order procedure introduced by Ponte Castañeda in terms of prediction of the effective responses. However, under the assumption that the field statistics (first and second moments) are given by the local fields in the LCC, all the recent nonlinear homogenization procedures still fail to provide an accurate enough estimate of the strain statistics, especially for composites with high contrast.     

Nonlinear micromechanical formulation of the high fidelity generalized method of cells

The recent High Fidelity Generalized Method of Cells (HFGMC) micromechnical modeling framework of multiphase composites is formulated in a new form which facilitates its computational efficiency that allows an effective multiscale material–structural analysis. Towards this goal, incremental and total formulations of the governing equations are derived. A new stress update computational method is established to solve for the nonlinear material constituents along with the micromechanical equations. The method is well-suited for multiaxial finite increments of applied average stress or strain fields. Explicit matrix form of the HFGMC model is presented which allows an immediate and convenient computer implementation of the offered method. In particular, the offered derivations provide for the residual field vector (error) in its incremental and total forms along with an explicit expression for the Jacobian matrix. This enables the efficient iterative computational implementation of the HFGMC as a stand alone. Furthermore, the new formulation of the HFGMC is used to generate a nested local-global nonlinear finite element analysis of composite materials and structures. Applications are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed approach. These include the behavior of multiphase composites with nonlinearly elastic, elastoplastic and viscoplastic constituents.     

金属基纳米复合材料等效弹性模量的均匀化方法数值模拟

均匀化理论利用位移场双尺度渐近展开建立有限元列式，本文将其与有限元通用程序相结合，应用于金属基复合材料的弹性本构数值模拟。通过对不同尺度增强相金属基复合材料等效模量的数值模拟，考察了均匀化方法的适用情况。数值计算结果表明，对常规尺度增强相金属基复合材料，均匀化方法可以较准确地预测其等效弹性模量；对纳米增强相金属基复合材料，该方法仍可给出较好的预测，但存在某种程度的系统偏差。通过对纳米尺度增强机理的分析讨论，认为纳米增强相与基体材料问的界面效应可能有别于连续介质假设，指出可以考虑采用离散原子-连续介质耦合模型改进数值模拟结果。