Field fluctuations and macroscopic properties for nonlinear composites

A recently introduced nonlinear homogenization method [J. Mech. Phys. Solids 50 ( 2002) 737–757] is used to estimate the effective behavior and the associated strain and stress fluctuations in two-phase, power-law composites with aligned-fiber microstructures, subjected to anti-plane strain, or in-plane strain loading. Using the Hashin–Shtrikman estimates for the relevant “linear comparison composite,” results are generated for two-phase systems, including fiber-reinforced and fiber-weakened composites. These results, which are known to be exact to second-order in the heterogeneity contrast, are found to satisfy all known bounds. Explicit analytical expressions are obtained for the special case of rigid-ideally plastic composites, including results for arbitrary contrast and fiber concentration. The effective properties, as well as the phase averages and fluctuations predicted for these strongly nonlinear composites appear to be consistent with deformation mechanisms involving shear bands. More specifically, for the case where the fibers are stronger than the matrix, the predictions appear to be consistent with the shear bands tending to avoid the fibers, while the opposite would be true for the case where the fibers are weaker.     

Bounds for nonlinear composites via iterated homogenization

Improved estimates of the Hashin–Shtrikman–Willis type are generated for the class of nonlinear composites consisting of two well-ordered, isotropic phases distributed randomly with prescribed two-point correlations, as determined by the H-measure of the microstructure. For this purpose, a novel strategy for generating bounds has been developed utilizing iterated homogenization. The general idea is to make use of bounds that may be available for composite materials in the limit when the concentration of one of the phases (say phase 1) is small. It then follows from the theory of iterated homogenization that it is possible, under certain conditions, to obtain bounds for more general values of the concentration, by gradually adding small amounts of phase 1 in incremental fashion, and sequentially using the available dilute-concentration estimate, up to the final (finite) value of the concentration (of phase 1). Such an approach can also be useful when available bounds are expected to be tighter for certain ranges of the phase volume fractions. This is the case, for example, for the “linear comparison” bounds for porous viscoplastic materials, which are known to be comparatively tighter for large values of the porosity. In this case, the new bounds obtained by the above-mentioned “iterated” procedure can be shown to be much improved relative to the earlier “linear comparison” bounds, especially at low values of the porosity and high triaxialities. Consistent with the way in which they have been derived, the new estimates are, strictly, bounds only for the class of multi-scale, nonlinear composites consisting of two well-ordered, isotropic phases that are distributed with prescribed H-measure at each stage in the incremental process. However, given the facts that the H-measure of the sequential microstructures is conserved (so that the final microstructures can be shown to have the same H-measure), and that H-measures are insensitive to length scales, it is conjectured that the new bounds may hold for more general classes of microstructures with prescribed volume fractions and H-measures (independent of the separation of length scales hypotheses that was made in the derivation of the result using iterated homogenization).     

Micro-stress prediction in composite laminates with high stress gradients

The objective of this research is to develop a macroscopic theory, which can provide the connection between macro-mechanics and micro-mechanics in characterizing the micro-stress of composite laminates in regions of high macroscopic stress gradients. The micro-polar theory, a class of higher-order elasticity theory, of composite laminate mechanics is implemented in a well-known Pipes–Pagano free edge boundary problem. The micro-polar homogenization method to determine the micro-polar anisotropic effective elastic moduli is presented. A displacement-based finite element method based on micro-polar theory in anisotropic solids is developed in analyzing composite laminates. The effects of fiber volume fraction and cell size on the normal stress along the artificial interface resulting from ply homogenization of the composite laminate are also investigated. The stress response based on micro-polar theory is compared with those deduced from the micro-mechanics and classical elasticity theory. Special attention of the investigation focuses on the stress fields near the free edge where the high macro-stress gradient occurs. The normal stresses along the artificial interface and especially, the micro-stress along the fiber/matrix interface on the critical cell near the free edge where the high macro-stress gradient detected are the focus of this investigation. These micro-stresses are expected to dominate the failure initiation process in composite laminate. A micro-stress recovery scheme based on micro-polar analysis for the prediction of interface micro-stresses in the critical cell near the free edge is found to be in very good agreement with “exact” micro-stress solutions. It is demonstrated that the micro-polar theory is able to capture the micro-stress accurately from the homogenized solutions.     

Homogenization of long fiber reinforced composites including fiber bending effects

This paper presents a homogenization method, which accounts for intrinsic size effects related to the fiber diameter in long fiber reinforced composite materials with two independent constitutive models for the matrix and fiber materials. A new choice of internal kinematic variables allows to maintain the kinematics of the two material phases independent from the assumed constitutive models, so that stress–deformation relationships, can be expressed in the framework of hyper-elasticity and hyper-elastoplasticity for the fiber and the matrix materials respectively. The bending stiffness of the reinforcing fibers is captured by higher order strain terms, resulting in an accurate representation of the micro-mechanical behavior of the composite. Numerical examples show that the accuracy of the proposed model is very close to a non-homogenized finite-element model with an explicit discretization of the matrix and the fibers.     

Prediction of overall tension behavior of short fiber-reinforced composites

The bridging stress of fibers along the crack surface plays an important role in analyzing the tension behavior of short or long fiber-reinforced composites. This paper uses the inclusion theory to obtain the expression of bridging stress for short fiber reinforced composite (SFRC) . A simplified model with periodically distributed fibers is proposed to estimate the average fiber spacings. The total fracture resistance is calculated as an energy summation including interface debonding energy dissipation, frictional sliding work between fibers and matrix, strain energy increment of fibers and matrix. The bend over point (BOP) stress is calculated by this fracture resistance. The necessary conditions of the fibers and matrix for the multiple cracking in SFRCs are discussed and the expression of ultimate external stress is derived. The critical fiber volume fraction for the strain hardening response is determined by an iteration method. In the meanwhile, the average spacing between two short fibers is proposed by a periodical distribution assumption. The theoretical prediction is compared with experimental data.     

Homogenization estimates for fiber-reinforced elastomers with periodic microstructures

This work presents a homogenization-based constitutive model for the mechanical behavior of elastomers reinforced with aligned cylindrical fibers subjected to finite deformations. The proposed model is derived by making use of the second-order homogenization method [Lopez-Pamies, O., Ponte Castañeda, P., 2006a. On the overall behavior, microstructure evolution, and macroscopic stability in reinforced rubbers at large deformations: I—theory. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 54, 807–830], which is based on suitably designed variational principles utilizing the idea of a “linear comparison composite.” Specific results are generated for the case when the matrix and fiber materials are characterized by generalized Neo-Hookean solids, and the distribution of fibers is periodic. In particular, model predictions are provided and analyzed for fiber-reinforced elastomers with Gent phases and square and hexagonal fiber distributions, subjected to a wide variety of three-dimensional loading conditions. It is found that for compressive loadings in the fiber direction, the derived constitutive model may lose strong ellipticity, indicating the possible development of macroscopic instabilities that may lead to kink band formation. The onset of shear band-type instabilities is also detected for certain in-plane modes of deformation. Furthermore, the subtle influence of the distribution, volume fraction, and stiffness of the fibers on the effective behavior and onset of macroscopic instabilities in these materials is investigated thoroughly.     

On the effect of fiber creep-compliance in the high-temperature deformation of continuous fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites

Creep models for unidirectional ceramic matrix composites reinforced by long creeping fibers with weak interfaces are presented. These models extend the work of Du and McMeeking (1995) [Du, Z., McMeeking, R. 1995. Creep models for metal matrix composites with long brittle fibers. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 43, 701–726] to include the effect of fiber primary creep present in the required operational temperatures for ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). The effects of fiber breaks and the consequential stress relaxation around the breaks are incorporated in the models under the assumption of global load sharing and time-independent stochastics for fiber failure. From the set of problems analyzed, it is found that the high-temperature deformation of CMCs is sensitive to the creep-compliance of the fibers. High fiber creep-compliance drives the composite to creep faster, leading however to greater lifetimes and greater overall strains at rupture. This behavior is attributed to the fact that the greater the creep-compliance of the fibers, the higher the creep rate but the slower the matrix stress relaxation – since the matrix must deform with a rate compatible with the more creep-resistant fibers – and therefore the less the load carried by the main load-bearing phase, the fibers. As a result, fewer fibers fail and less damage is accumulated in the system. Moreover, the greater the creep-compliance of the fibers, the slower the matrix shear stress relaxation – and thus the lower the levels of applied stress for which this effect becomes important. The slower the shear stress relaxes, the slower the “slip” length increases. Due to the Weibull nature of the fibers, the fiber strengths at the smaller gauge length of the slip length are stronger; therefore fewer fibers undergo damage. Hence, high fiber creep-compliance is desirable (in the absence of any explicit creep-damage mechanism) in terms of composite lifetime but not in terms of overall strain. These results are considered of importance for composite design and optimization.     

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.     

Macroscopic behavior and field fluctuations in viscoplastic composites: Second-order estimates versus full-field simulations

This work presents a combined numerical and theoretical study of the effective behavior and statistics of the local fields in random viscoplastic composites. The full-field numerical simulations are based on the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm [Moulinec, H., Suquet, P., 1994. A fast numerical method for computing the linear and nonlinear properties of composites. C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris II 318, 1417-1423], while the theoretical estimates follow from the so-called “second-order” procedure [Ponte Castañeda, P., 2002a. Second-order homogenization estimates for nonlinear composites incorporating field fluctuations: I—Theory. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 50, 737-757]. Two-phase fiber composites with power-law phases are considered in detail, for two different heterogeneity contrasts corresponding to fiber-reinforced and fiber-weakened composites. Both the FFT simulations and the corresponding “second-order” estimates show that the strain-rate fluctuations in these systems increase significantly, becoming progressively more anisotropic, with increasing nonlinearity. In fact, the strain-rate fluctuations tend to become unbounded in the limiting case of ideally plastic composites. This phenomenon is shown to correspond to the localization of the strain field into bands running through the composite along certain preferred orientations determined by the loading conditions. The bands tend to avoid the fibers when they are stronger than the matrix, and to pass through the fibers when they are weaker than the matrix. In general, the “second-order” estimates are found to be in good agreement with the FFT simulations, even for high nonlinearities, and they improve, often in qualitative terms, on earlier nonlinear homogenization estimates. Thus, it is demonstrated that the “second-order” method can be used to extract accurate information not only for the macroscopic behavior, but also for the anisotropic distribution of the local fields in nonlinear composites.     

钨纤维增强金属玻璃复合材料分段弹体侵彻性能研究

结合穿甲实验，基于复合材料细观有限元模拟，系统开展针对钨纤维增强金属玻璃复合材料分段弹体侵彻性能的研究，并与复合材料长杆弹进行对比分析。结果表明，相对于复合材料长杆弹显著的穿甲“自锐”行为和优异的侵彻性能，复合材料分段弹体在侵彻过程中的“自锐”特性有所减弱，且弹体结构容易发生分散，进而导致弹体侵彻能力明显降低。另外，分段数目和分段间隔等因素对复合材料分段弹体的侵彻性能具有一定影响，但总体而言，不同构型分段弹体的侵彻能力均弱于复合材料长杆弹。     

End-shaped copper fibers in an epoxy matrix—predicted versus actual fracture toughening

End-shaped copper fibers are placed in a brittle thermoset epoxy matrix at 10 vol% and tested in four-point bending to determine the fracture toughness of the composite. Results from four-point bend tests agree well with the theoretical predictions of the fracture toughness increment ‘ΔG’ of a metal fiber/brittle thermoset matrix composite based on single fiber pullout (SFP) tests. This close agreement demonstrates that SFP testing, along with the theoretical model, can be used as an effective end-shape screening tool for ductile fibers before full scale composite testing. The model predicts that the composite’s fracture toughness will be 46% higher with flat end-impacted fibers and 4% lower with rippled fibers compared to straight fibers at a 0° orientation. Four-point bend results show the actual composite’s fracture toughness is 49% higher with flat end-impacted fibers and 5% lower with rippled fibers compared to straight fibers. Further, four-point bend results show that end-shaped copper fibers improve both the flexural strength and modulus of the composite, demonstrating that end-shaped ductile fibers provide a good stress transfer to the fibers by anchoring the fibers into the matrix. Lastly, experimental validation of the model also indicates that at low fiber volume fractions, fiber–fiber interaction has only a minor influence on the fracture toughness for the tested ductile fiber/brittle matrix composite.     

A Note on Design of Fiber-Nets for Maximum Stiffness

For a specific fiber-net, the design variables are relative fiber density and fiber orientations. With a given amount of fibers, our objective is to maximize the stiffness (minimize the compliance) for a continuum subjected to a given load situation. Analytical optimality criteria are derived, and numerical optimization procedures are presented. Applications to a wedge problem from the literature, Royer-Carfagni (2000), and to a skew plate problem are shown, and the study includes the influence of a basic material to be reinforced. The procedure described can be combined with localized optimal design for density, orientation, and shape, “pointwise” or for design regions.     

The effect of particle shape and distribution on the macroscopic behavior of magnetoelastic composites

The magnetoelastic homogenization framework and the partial decoupling approximation proposed by Ponte Castañeda and Galipeau (2011) are used to estimate material properties for a class of magnetically susceptible elastomers. Specifically, we consider composites consisting of aligned, ellipsoidal magnetic particles distributed randomly with “ellipsoidal” symmetry under combined magnetic and mechanical loading. The model captures the coupling between the magnetic and mechanical fields, including the effects of magnetic saturation. The results help elucidate the effects of particle shape, distribution, and concentration on properties such as the magnetostriction, actuation stress, magnetic modulus, and magnetization behavior of a magnetorheological composite.     

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.     

Three-dimensional photoelastic analysis of a fiber-reinforced composite model

A three-dimensional photoelastic analysis using the “stress-freezing” technique was conducted to determine the stress distributions in the matrix of a unidirectionally fiber-reinforced composite model subjected to matrix shrinkage and normal transverse loading. The model, consisting of a square array of polycarbonate rods in an epoxy matrix, simulated a boron-filament-reinforced plastic composite with a fiber-volume fraction of 0.50 at the critical temperature of the matrix epoxy. The effects of matrix shrinkage were separated from those of external loading by analyzing two identical models, one loaded and the other unloaded. The Lamé-Maxwell equations of equilibrium were used to separate stresses along axes of symmetry on interior transverse slices. Axial stress components were obtained by subslicing. Results are presented in dimensionless form by dividing the stresses by the average stress through the section. A comparison with theoretical results for a boron-epoxy composite shows excellent agreement, although Poisson's ratio of the model matrix is appreciably different from that of the prototype (0.5 compared to 0.35). One significant result was that the maximum stress occurs in the middle of the matrix section between fibers which is at variance with the theoretical prediction of maximum stress at the interface. Stress-concentration factors vary from 1.80 at the interface to 2.0 at the midpoint of the matrix section between fibers.     

纤维排列方式对复合材料总体粘弹性常数的影响

对于金属基或高分子聚合物基复合材料，在特定情况下会表现出明显的粘弹性特性。本文采用Riemann—Liouville形式的分数阶导数模型描述基体的粘性特性，通过渐进均匀化方法给出了预测纤维加强复合材料整体本构关系的解析表达式，给出应用于基体具有Makris粘弹性关系的具体形式。最后，考察了圆截面纤维正方形排列和对角排列时的总体粘弹性弹性常数随纤维比的变化曲线。结果表明，这类复合材料仍具有粘弹性特性，其整体粘弹性本构关系的弹性部分综合了纤维弹性和基体弹性的贡献，粘性部分来自基体粘性的贡献，复合材料具有和基体相同的粘性系数和分数阶。为分析微结构特征对整体特性的贡献，须求解两类局部问题。在相同纤维体积比情况下，正方形排列的总体弹性系数大于正方形对角排列，而粘性常数相反。     

Second-order estimate of the macroscopic behavior of periodic hyperelastic composites: theory and experimental validation

This paper deals with some theoretical and experimental aspects of the behavior of periodic hyperelastic composites. We focus here on composites consisting of an elastomeric matrix periodically reinforced by long fibers. The paper is composed of three parts. The first part deals with the theoretical aspects of compressible behavior. The second-order theory of Ponte Castañeda (J. Mech. Phys. Solids 44 (1996) 827) is considered and extended to periodic microstructures. Comparisons with results obtained by the finite element method show that the composite behavior predicted by the present model is much more accurate for compressible than for incompressible materials. The second part deals with the extension of the method to incompressible behavior. A mixed formulation (displacement-pressure) is used which improves the accuracy of the estimate given by the model. The third part presents experimental results. The composite tested is made of a rubber matrix reinforced by steel wires. Firstly, the matrix behavior is identified with a tensile test and a shear test carried out on homogeneous samples. Secondly, the composite is tested under shearing. The experimentally measured homogenized stress is then compared with the predictions of the model.     

Metal matrix composite solidification in the presence of cooled fibers: numerical simulation and experimental observation

Attempts have been made to alter the solidification microstructures of fiber reinforced aluminum composites by cooling the ends of the fibers extending out of the mold. Experimental observations indicate that cooling the extended ends of the reinforcement results in finer microstructures in the matrix and changes the nature of the interface. In this paper, numerical simulation is performed on a two-dimensional axi-symmetric model to investigate the solidification process of metal matrix composite (MMC) with the extended ends of the fibers cooled by a heat sink. The numerical simulation is based on the source-based enthalpy method with finite volume discretization. The temperature profiles obtained by simulation are compared to the cooling curves measured experimentally in order to validate the current mathematical model. It is found that the simulation result matches the experimental data with reasonable agreement.     

Propagation of electroacoustic waves in the transversely isotropic piezoelectric medium reinforced by randomly distributed cylindrical inhomogeneities

The propagation of electroacoustic waves in a piezoelectric medium containing a statistical ensemble of cylindrical fibers is considered. Both the matrix and the fibers consist of piezoelectric transversely isotropic material with symmetry axis parallel to the fiber axes. Special emphasis is given on the propagation of an electroacoustic axial shear wave polarized parallel to the axis of symmetry propagating in the direction normal to the fiber axis.The scattering problem of one isolated continuous fiber (“one-particle scattering problem”) is considered. By means of a Green’s function approach a system of coupled integral equations for the electroelastic field in the medium containing a single inhomogeneity (fiber) is solved in closed form in the long-wave approximation. The total scattering cross-section of this problem is obtained in closed form and is in accordance with the electroacoustic analogue of the optical theorem.The solution of the one-particle scattering problem is used to solve the homogenization problem for a random set of fibers by means of the self-consistent scheme of effective field method. Closed form expressions for the dynamic characteristics such as total cross-section, effective wave velocity and attenuation factor are obtained in the long-wave approximation.     

单向纤维增强复合材料中纤维断裂及其发展

纤维增强复合材料中某根纤维断裂后，断口作为裂纹向何处发展？它可以向纤维和基体的界面发展形成界面脱粘，也可向基体发展，造成基体开展，从而殃及邻近纤维。另外，一根纤维的断裂会在其邻近纤维中造成应力集中。本文采取轴对称边界元法对这些问题进行仔细研究。本文假定纤维在基体中成六角形分布，即每根纤维周围有六根纤维，均匀地分布在以该纤维为中心的圆周上。