A micromechanics-based Cosserat-type model for dense particulate solids

A two-dimensional continuum theory is presented for cohesionless granular media consisting of identical rigid disks. While the normal deformation of contacting particles is constrained, the tangential frictional contact is modelled by a line spring with a constant stiffness. To describe the static frictional system transmitting couples at contacts, a Cosserat-type continuum including rotational degrees of freedom is appropriate. Contrary to the classical elastic medium, movement of particles within a granular system in response to applied loads can give rise to localisations of force chains and large voids. In addition to relative displacement and rotation, a director governing the direction of interparticle forces and a phase field delineating density variation, are therefore introduced. Total work done involving these two order parameters for a particle is attained on an orientation average. Based on the formulation of free energy, a concentration- and anisotropy-dependent formulation for static quantities (stress and couple stress) in the rate form is derived in light of the principles of thermodynamics. It is consistent with the requirement of observer independence and material symmetry. The governing equations for two order parameters are derived, in which void concentration and stress anisotropy are related to relative displacement and rotation. As an example, the proposed model is applied to the hardening regime of deformation of a dense particle assembly with initial perfect lattice under simple shear. It is demonstrated that in the presence of dilatancy and director variation, there exists a linear relation between the shear stress and strain, in coincidence with experimental observations.     

Analysis of a dynamic contact problem for electro-viscoelastic cylinders

We consider a mathematical model which describes the antiplane shear deformations of a piezoelectric cylinder in frictional contact with a foundation. The process is mechanically dynamic and electrically static, the material behavior is described with a linearly electro-viscoelastic constitutive law, the contact is frictional and the foundation is assumed to be electrically conductive. Both the friction and the electrical conductivity condition on the contact surface are described with subdifferential boundary conditions. We derive a variational formulation of the problem which is of the form of a system coupling a second order hemivariational inequality for the displacement field with a time-dependent hemivariational inequality for the electric potential field. Then we prove the existence of a unique weak solution to the model. The proof is based on abstract results for second order evolutionary inclusions in Banach spaces. Finally, we present concrete examples of friction laws and electrical conductivity conditions for which our result is valid.     

Variational formulation of a modified couple stress theory and its application to a simple shear problem

A variational formulation is provided for the modified couple stress theory of Yang et al. by using the principle of minimum total potential energy. This leads to the simultaneous determination of the equilibrium equations and the boundary conditions, thereby complementing the original work of Yang et al. where the boundary conditions were not derived. Also, the displacement form of the modified couple stress theory, which is desired for solving many problems, is obtained to supplement the existing stress-based formulation. All equations/expressions are presented in tensorial forms that are coordinate-invariant. As a direct application of the newly obtained displacement form of the theory, a simple shear problem is analytically solved. The solution contains a material length scale parameter and can capture the boundary layer effect, which differs from that based on classical elasticity. The numerical results reveal that the length scale parameter (related to material microstructures) can have a significant effect on material responses.      

Solvability of dynamic antiplane frictional contact problems for viscoelastic cylinders

We study a mathematical model which describes the antiplane shear deformations of a cylinder in frictional contact with a rigid foundation. The process is dynamic, the material behavior is described with a linearly viscoelastic constitutive law and friction is modeled with a general subdifferential boundary condition. We derive a variational formulation of the model which is in a form of an evolutionary hemivariational inequality for the displacement field. Then we prove the existence of a weak solution to the model. The proof is based on an abstract result for second order evolutionary inclusions in Banach spaces. Also, we prove that, under additional assumptions, the weak solution to the model is unique. We complete our results with concrete examples of friction laws for which our results are valid.     

A modified numerical manifold method for simulation of finite deformation problem

With many people contributing to its modifications and advancements, the numerical manifold method (NMM) is now recognized as an efficient tool to solve the continuum–discontinuum coupling problem in geotechnical engineering. However, false solutions have been found when modeling finite deformation problems using the original NMM. Based on the finite deformation theory, a modified version of NMM is derived from the weak form of conservation of momentum and the corresponding traction boundary condition. By taking the dual cover system as the displacement approximation, the governing equations of the modified NMM are formulated. A comparison of the governing equations of the original NMM and modified NMM illustrates the reason that the original NMM is not suitable for simulation of finite deformation problems. Three numerical examples are investigated to verify the capability of proposed method to predict static and dynamic finite deformation response. Numerical results show that the modified NMM eliminates the errors caused by large rotation and large strain, and obtains a good agreement with analytical solutions and the finite element method.     

Some problems in nonlinear magnetoelasticity

In this paper we examine the influence of magnetic fields on the static response of magnetoelastic materials, such as magneto-sensitive elastomers, that are capable of large deformations. The analysis is based on a simple formulation of the mechanical equilibrium equations and constitutive law for such materials developed recently by the authors, coupled with the governing magnetic field equations. The equations are applied in the solution of some simple representative and illustrative problems, with the focus on incompressible materials. First, we consider the pure homogeneous deformation of a slab of material in the presence of a magnetic field normal to its faces. This is followed by a review of the problem of simple shear of the slab in the presence of the same magnetic field. Next we examine a problem involving non-homogeneous deformations, namely the extension and inflation of a circular cylindrical tube. In this problem the magnetic field is taken to be either axial (a uniform field) or circumferential. For each problem we give a general formulation for the case of an isotropic magnetoelastic constitutive law, and then, for illustration, specific results are derived for a prototype constitutive law. We emphasize that in general there are significant differences in the results for formulations in which the magnetic field or the magnetic induction is taken as the independent magnetic variable. This is demonstrated for one particular problem, in which restrictions are placed on the admissible class of constitutive laws if the magnetic induction is the independent variable but no restrictions if the magnetic field is the independent variable.Received: May 17, 2004     

Particle simulation of granular media and homogenisation towards continuum quantities

From a microscopic point of view, various natural and engineering materials consist of individual grains, whose motion strongly influence the macroscopic material behaviour. Exemplarily, one may look at the development of shear zones in natural granular materials, such as sand, occurring as a result of local grain dislocations and the transition of the granulate from a denser to a looser packing. The intuitive modelling approach for granular assemblies is consequently the consideration of each grain as a rigid particle. In a numerical framework, this leads to the Discrete Element Method (DEM), wherein the motion of each particle can be obtained solving Newton's equations for each particle. The present contribution discusses the basic fundaments of modelling granular material on the microscopic scale by use of the DEM. Special interest is taken to the constitutive choice of the governing particle-to-particle contact forces, as they have to account for plastic material behaviour as well as for assumptions concerning particle shape, size and distribution. As engineering problems are regularly described on the macroscale by means of continuum mechanics, a homogenisation strategy transfers the information from the microscale towards continuum quantities via volume averaging. Therefore, characteristic Representative Elementary Volumes (REV) are constructed by an ensemble of particles, where each particle can be chosen as the centre of a REV. (© 2013 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Nonlinear static analysis of arbitrary quadrilateral plates in very large deflections

Through a linear mapping, an arbitrary quadrilateral plate is transformed into a standard square computational domain in which the deformation and director fields are developed together with the general forms of the uncoupled nonlinear equations. By proper interpolation of displacement and rotation fields on the whole domain, such that the boundary conditions are satisfied, a mathematical model based on the elastic Cosserat theory, is developed to analyze very large deformations of thin plates in nonlinear static loading. The principle of virtual work is exploited to present the weak form of the governing differential equations. The geometric and material tangential stiffness matrices are formed through linearization, and a step by step procedure is presented to complete the method. The validity and the accuracy of the method are illustrated through certain numerical examples and comparison of the results with other researches.     

A nonlocal higher-order model including thickness stretching effect for bending and buckling of curved nanobeams

An analytical approach for static bending and buckling analyses of curved nanobeams using the differential constitutive law, consequent to Eringen’s strain-driven integral model coupled with a higher-order shear deformation accounting for through thickness stretching is presented. The formulation is general in the sense that it can be deduced to examine the influence of different structural theories, for static and dynamic analyses of curved nanobeams. The governing equations derived using Hamiltons principle are solved in conjunction with Naviers solutions. The formulation is validated considering problems for which solutions are available. A comparative study is made here by various theories obtained through the formulation. The effects various structural parameters such as thickness ratio, beam length, rise of the curved beam, and nonlocal scale parameter are brought out on bending and stability characteristics of curved nanobeams.     

Size-Dependent Effects of Micro-Nano Mindlin Plates Based on the Couple Stress Theory北大核心CSCD

基于偶应力理论,建立了适用于微纳米结构的Mindlin板理论。考虑横向剪切变形和材料的尺度效应并引入长度尺寸参数,推导了各向同性微纳米Mindlin板的本构方程。根据板的平衡条件,进一步推导出用位移函数和转角函数表示的板的屈曲和振动控制方程。通过对位移和转角变量进行空间和时间域上的分离,得出了四边简支（SSSS）和对边简支、对边固支（SCSC）两种边界情况下微纳米板的屈曲和振动问题的解析解。然后利用MATLAB软件进行算例分析,获得了不同尺寸参数、长宽比、厚长比等情况下板的临界屈曲荷载和固有频率。研究结果与已有文献中的结果以及ABAQUS有限元仿真解进行对比,结果表明,不同参数下的三种方法得到的结果均十分接近。算例分析发现,尺度效应对屈曲载荷和固有频率都有显著影响。     

Modeling of large deformation frictional contact in powder compaction processes

In this paper, the computational aspects of large deformation frictional contact are presented in powder forming processes. The influence of powder–tool friction on the mechanical properties of the final product is investigated in pressing metal powders. A general formulation of continuum model is developed for frictional contact and the computational algorithm is presented for analyzing the phenomena. It is particularly concerned with the numerical modeling of frictional contact between a rigid tool and a deformable material. The finite element approach adopted is characterized by the use of penalty approach in which a plasticity theory of friction is incorporated to simulate sliding resistance at the powder–tool interface. The constitutive relations for friction are derived from a Coulomb friction law. The frictional contact formulation is performed within the framework of large FE deformation in order to predict the non-uniform relative density distribution during large deformation of powder die pressing. A double-surface cap plasticity model is employed together with the nonlinear contact friction behavior in numerical simulation of powder material. Finally, the numerical schemes are examined for efficiency and accuracy in modeling of several powder compaction processes.     

Analytical solution of piezolaminated rectangular plates with arbitrary clamped/simply-supported boundary conditions under thermo-electro-mechanical loadings

This paper extends an analytical method for static analysis of general cross-ply piezolaminated rectangular plates with any combination of clamped/simply-supported boundary conditions under uncoupled thermo-electro-mechanical loadings. This method is based on the novel superposition method and the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT). The FSDT enables this expanded method to consider the effect of shear deformation of the plate. The process of applying electrical and thermal resultants causes some advantages due to its simplicity and less computational process. In this analysis displacement components are written in terms of unknown force and moment resultants. Using Fourier series for displacement components, mechanical, thermal, and/or electrical stress resultants, the complex governing differential equations of the plate are reduced to a set of linear algebraic equations with non-trivial solution. The obtained equations may be solved analytically to determine the unknown stress resultants. Several examples are proposed, and their obtained numerical results are compared with those available in the literature to verify the convergence, high accuracy, and the capability of the present method to analyze the static behavior of piezolaminated plates. It is found that there is high agreement between the present results with those obtained by other investigators.     

Basic Themes and Pretty Problems of Nonlinear Solid Mechanics

The first part of this paper describes some important underlying themes in the mathematical theory of continuum mechanics that are distinct from formulating and analyzing governing equations. The main part of this paper is devoted to a survey of some concrete, conceptually simple, pretty problems that help illuminate the underlying themes. The paper concludes with a discussion of the crucial role of invariant constitutive equations in computation. Received: December 2006     

Continuous finite element methods for Reissner-Mindlin plate problem

On triangle or quadrilateral meshes, two finite element methods are proposed for solving the Reissner-Mindlin plate problem either by augmenting the Galerkin formulation or modifying the plate-thickness. In these methods, the transverse displacement is approximated by conforming (bi)linear macroelements or (bi)quadratic elements, and the rotation by conforming (bi)linear elements. The shear stress can be locally computed from transverse displacement and rotation. Uniform in plate thickness, optimal error bounds are obtained for the transverse displacement, rotation, and shear stress in their natural norms. Numerical results are presented to illustrate the theoretical results.     

连续体力学中有限变形与转动的计算增量法

目前在非线性弹塑性力学计算中常用的经典非线性大变形理论由于内在的数学缺点,当变形量与转动很大时.往往误差达到不许可的程度.本文采用作者的有限变形力学理论表述了增量法.在作者与尚勇、谢和平联合研究的另二篇论文中,详细叙述这个新方法在工程中的应用,结果证明从微小变形过渡到大变形,计算结果总是可以满意地符合实验.     

From particle mechanics to microcontinuum theories

Microcontinuum theories enable the consideration of particle-based microstructures within a continuum mechanical framework. Several classes of microcontinua, such as the micromorphic, the micropolar, the microstrain or the microstrech formulation, have been successfully applied to engineering applications, although a clear physical determination and interpretation of the kinematical extensions and the resulting higher-order stresses within the formulation is frequently missing. In this regard, the present contribution focuses on establishing the physical link between discrete contact forces, stresses and deformation of particle-based microstructures and the characteristic stress states of microcontinuum theories. Representative Elementary Volumes (REVs) are therefore constructed on the mesoscale as ensembles of deformable particles from the mircoscale. Establishing the REV balance relations justifies the common generalisation of the angular momentum balance commonly applied in microcontinuum theories. It furthermore leads to the identification of the continuum stresses based on micro-quantities and enables the application of homogenisation techniques by exploitation of the equilibrium conditions of a REV. In order to investigate the hereby established link from the micro- to the macroscale, granular materials are simulated using the Discrete-Element Method (DEM). In particular, localisation phenomena in granulates, e. g. in biaxial compression tests or during ground-failure processes are studied. This implies the formulation of the contact between particles in an appropriate constitutive manner in accordance to the envisaged granular material behaviour, e. g. whether loose material, such as sand, or bonded multi-component material, such as polyurethan-sand compounds for metal casting applications are of interest. With the full solution of a particle-based initial-boundary-value problem, the homogenisation formalism is applied and enables the study of the extended continuum field quantities, essentially demonstrating the applicability of microcontinuum theories in the field of granular material. (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A constitutive model for granular materials with microstructures using the concept of energy relaxation

In this paper, we present a constitutive model for granular materials exhibiting microstructures using the concept of energy relaxation. Within the framework of Cosserat continuum theory the free energy of the material is enriched with an interaction energy potential taking into account the counter rotations of the particles. The enhanced energy potential fails to be quasiconvex. Energy relaxation theory is employed to compute the relaxed energy which yields all possible displacement and micro-rotations field fluctuations as minimizers. Based on a two-field variational principle the constitutive response of the material is derived. The developed constitutive model is then implemented in a finite element analysis program using the finite element method. Numerical simulations are presented to observe the localized deformation phenomenon in a granular medium. (© 2013 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Large-amplitude free vibrations of functionally graded beams by means of a finite element formulation

The large-amplitude free vibration analysis of functionally graded beams is investigated by means of a finite element formulation. The Von-Karman type nonlinear strain–displacement relationships are employed where the ends of the beam are constrained to move axially. The effects of the transverse shear deformation and rotary inertia are included based upon the Timoshenko beam theory. The material properties are assumed to be graded in the thickness direction according to the power-law distribution. A statically exact beam element which devoid the shear locking effect with displacement fields based on the first order shear deformation theory is used to study the geometric nonlinear effects on the vibrational characteristics of functionally graded beams. The finite element method is employed to discretize the nonlinear governing equations, which are then solved by the direct numerical integration technique in order to obtain the nonlinear vibration frequencies of functionally graded beams with different boundary conditions. The influences of power-law exponent, vibration amplitude, beam geometrical parameters and end supports on the free vibration frequencies are studied. The present numerical results compare very well with the results available from the literature where possible. Some new results for the nonlinear natural frequencies are presented in both tabular and graphical forms which can be used for future references.     

A family of mixed finite elements for the elasticity problem

Summary A new mixed finite element formulation for the equations of linear elasticity is considered. In the formulation the variables approximated are the displacement, the unsymmetric stress tensor and the rotation. The rotation act as a Lagrange multiplier introduced in order to enforce the symmetry of the stress tensor. Based on this formulation a new family of both two-and three-dimensional mixed methods is defined. Optimal error estimates, which are valid uniformly with respect to the Poisson ratio, are derived. Finally, a new postprocessing scheme for improving the displacement is introduced and analyzed.