Atomistic-based continuum representation of the effective properties of nano-reinforced epoxies

In this paper, an atomistic-based representative volume element (RVE) is developed to characterize the behavior of carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced amorphous epoxies. The RVE consists of the carbon nanotube, the surrounding epoxy matrix, and the CNT/epoxy interface. An atomistic-based continuum representation is adopted throughout all the components of the RVE. By equating the associated strain energies under identical loading conditions, we were able to homogenize the RVE into a representative fiber. The homogenized RVE was then employed in a micromechanical analysis to predict the effective properties of the newly developed CNT-reinforced amorphous epoxy. Numerical examples show that the effect of volume fraction, orientation, and aspect ratio of the continuous fibres on the properties of the CNT-reinforced epoxy adhesives can be significant. These results have a direct bearing on the design and development of nano-tailored adhesives for use in structural adhesive bonds.     

A concurrent micromechanical model for predicting nonlinear viscoelastic responses of composites reinforced with solid spherical particles

A concurrent micromechanical model for predicting nonlinear viscoelastic responses of particle reinforced polymers is developed. Particles are in the form of solid spheres having micro-scale diameters. The composite microstructures are idealized by periodically distributed cubic particles in a matrix medium. Each particle is assumed to be fully surrounded by polymeric matrix such that contact between particles can be avoided. A representative volume element (RVE) is then defined by a single particle embedded in the cubic matrix. A spatial periodicity boundary condition is imposed to the RVE. One eighth unit-cell model with four particle and polymer subcells is generated due to the three-plane symmetry of the RVE. The solid spherical particle is modeled as a linear elastic material. The polymeric matrix follows nonlinear viscoelastic behaviors of thermorheologically simple materials. The homogenized micromechanical relation is developed in terms of the average strains and stresses in the subcells and traction continuity and displacement compatibility at the subcells’ interfaces are imposed. A stress–strain correction scheme is also formulated to satisfy the linearized micromechanical and the nonlinear constitutive relations. The micromechanical model provides three-dimensional (3D) effective properties of homogeneous composite responses, while recognizing microstructural geometries and in situ material properties of the heterogeneous medium. The micromechanical formulation is designed to be compatible with general displacement based finite element (FE) analyses. Experimental data and analytical micromechanical models available in the literature are used to verify the capability of the above micromechanical model for predicting the overall composite behaviors. The proposed micromodel is also examined in terms of computational efficiency and accuracy.     

Nonlinear damping in a micromechanical oscillator

Nonlinear elastic effects play an important role in the dynamics of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). A Duffing oscillator is widely used as an archetypical model of mechanical resonators with nonlinear elastic behavior. In contrast, nonlinear dissipation effects in micromechanical oscillators are often overlooked. In this work, we consider a doubly clamped micromechanical beam oscillator, which exhibits nonlinearity in both elastic and dissipative properties. The dynamics of the oscillator is measured in both frequency and time domains and compared to theoretical predictions based on a Duffing-like model with nonlinear dissipation. We especially focus on the behavior of the system near bifurcation points. The results show that nonlinear dissipation can have a significant impact on the dynamics of micromechanical systems. To account for the results, we have developed a continuous model of a geometrically nonlinear beam-string with a linear Voigt–Kelvin viscoelastic constitutive law, which shows a relation between linear and nonlinear damping. However, the experimental results suggest that this model alone cannot fully account for all the experimentally observed nonlinear dissipation, and that additional nonlinear dissipative processes exist in our devices.     

Micromechanical characterizing elastic,thermoelastic and viscoelastic properties of functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced polymer nanocomposites

In this work, elastic, thermoelastic and viscoelastic properties of functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced polymer nanocomposites are investigated using a 3-dimensional micromechanics-based approach. The main advantage of the proposed micromechanical model is its ability to give closed-form formulation for predicting the effective properties of nanocomposites. In the micromechanical modeling, the interphase formed due to non-boned van der Waals interaction between the continuous CNT and polymer matrix is considered through employing an individual representative volume element. The validity of the model is examined by comparing its results with other theoretical approaches and experimental data available in the literature. The effects of various types of CNTs arrangement in the matrix, i.e. uniform distribution and different functionally graded distributions on the elastic, thermoelastic and viscoelastic properties of polymer nanocomposites are investigated in detail. Furthermore, random arrangement of CNTs in the matrix is modelled. The influences of CNT/polymer matrix interphase and CNT volume fraction on the effective properties of nanocomposites are also studied. Finally, the viscoelastic response of nanocomposites under multiaxial loading is extracted and interpreted.     

Homogenization of elasto-plastic composites coupled with a nonlinear finite element analysis of the equivalent inclusion problem

This paper deals with the micromechanical modeling of particle reinforced elasto-plastic composites under general non-monotonic loading histories. Incremental mean-field (MF) homogenization models offer an excellent cost-effective solution, however there are cases where their predictions are inaccurate. Here, we assess the applicability of the equivalent inclusion representation, which sustains many homogenization schemes. To this end, MF models are fully coupled with a finite element (FE) solution of the equivalent inclusion problem (EIP). Consequently, Eshelby’s tensor is not used and most (but not all) approximations involved in the generalization of MF models from linear elasticity to the nonlinear regime are avoided. The proposal is implemented for Mori-Tanaka (M-T) and dilute inclusion models and applied to several composite systems with elasto-plastic matrix and spherical or ellipsoidal particles, subjected to various loadings (tension, plane strain, cyclic tension/compression). The predictions are verified against reference full-field FE simulations of multiparticle cells. Results show that the M-T model coupled with the nonlinear FE solution of the EIP is very accurate at the macro level up to 25% volume fraction of reinforcement, while the phase averages remain accurate as long as the volume fraction does not exceed 15%. The strain concentration tensor computed almost exactly from single inclusion FE analysis is compared against approximate expressions assumed by classical MF models. Implications for the development of advanced MF homogenization models are discussed.     

PLASTIC LIMIT ANALYSIS OF DUCTILE COMPOSITE STRUCTURES FROM MICRO-TO MACRO-MECHANICAL ANALYSIS

The load-bearing capacity of ductile composite structures comprised of periodic composites is studied by a combined micro/macromechanicai approach. Firstly, on the microscopic level, a representative volume element （RVE） is selected to reflect the microstructures of the composite materials and the constituents are assumed to be elastic perfectly-plastic. Based on the homogenization theory and the static limit theorem, an optimization formulation to directly calculate the macroscopic strength domain of the RVE is obtained. The finite element modeling of the static limit analysis is formulated as a nonlinear mathematical programming and solved by the sequential quadratic programming method, where the temperature parameter method is used to construct the self-stress field. Secondly, Hill＇s yield criterion is adopted to connect the micromechanicai and macromechanical analyses. And the limit loads of composite structures are worked out on the macroscopic scale. Finally, some examples and comparisons are shown.     

Bonded lap joints of composite laminates with tapered edges

This study presents a semi-analytical solution method to analyze the geometrically nonlinear response of bonded composite lap joints with tapered and/or non tapered adherend edges under uniaxial tension. The solution method provides the transverse shear and normal stresses in the adhesives and in-plane stress resultants and bending moments in the adherends. The method utilizes the principle of virtual work in conjunction with von Karman’s nonlinear plate theory to model the adherends and the shear lag model to represent the kinematics of the thin adhesive layers between the adherends. Furthermore, the method accounts for the bilinear elastic material behavior of the adhesive while maintaining a linear stress–strain relationship in the adherends. In order to account for the stiffness changes due to thickness variation of the adherends along the tapered edges, the in-plane and bending stiffness matrices of the adherents are varied as a function of thickness along the tapered region. The combination of these complexities results in a system of nonlinear governing equilibrium equations. This approach represents a computationally efficient alternative to finite element method. The numerical results present the effects of taper angle, adherend overlap length, and the bilinear adhesive material on the stress fields in the adherends, as well as the adhesives of a single- and double-lap joint.     

Higher order model for soft and hard elastic interfaces

The present paper deals with the derivation of a higher order theory of interface models. In particular, it is studied the problem of two bodies joined by an adhesive interphase for which “soft” and “hard” linear elastic constitutive laws are considered. For the adhesive, interface models are determined by using two different methods. The first method is based on the matched asymptotic expansion technique, which adopts the strong formulation of classical continuum mechanics equations (compatibility, constitutive and equilibrium equations). The second method adopts a suitable variational (weak) formulation, based on the minimization of the potential energy. First and higher order interface models are derived for soft and hard adhesives. In particular, it is shown that the two approaches, strong and weak formulations, lead to the same asymptotic equations governing the limit behavior of the adhesive as its thickness vanishes. The governing equations derived at zero order are then put in comparison with the ones accounting for the first order of the asymptotic expansion, thus remarking the influence of the higher order terms and of the higher order derivatives on the interface response. Moreover, it is shown how the elastic properties of the adhesive enter the higher order terms. The effects taken into account by the latter ones could play an important role in the nonlinear response of the interface, herein not investigated. Finally, two simple applications are developed in order to illustrate the differences among the interface theories at the different orders.     

Woven fabric composite material model with material nonlinearity for nonlinear finite element simulation

The objective of the current investigation is to develop a simple, yet generalized, model which considers the two-dimensional extent of woven fabric, and to have an interface with nonlinear finite element codes. A micromechanical composite material model for woven fabric with nonlinear stress-strain relations is developed and implemented in ABAQUS for nonlinear finite element structural analysis. Within the model a representative volume cell is assumed. Using the iso-stress and iso-strain assumptions the constitutive equations are averaged along the thickness direction. The cell is then divided into many subcells and an averaging is performed again by assuming uniform stress distribution in each subcell to obtain the effective stress–strain relations of the subcell. The stresses and strains within the subcells are combined to yield the effective stresses and strains in the representative cell. Then this information is passed to the finite element code at each material point of the shell element. In this manner structural analysis of woven composites can be performed. Also, at each load increment global stresses and strains are communicated to the representative cell and subsequently distributed to each subcell. Once stresses and strains are associated to a subcell they can be distributed to each constituent of the subcell i.e. fill, warp, and resin. Consequently micro-failure criteria (MFC) can be defined for each constituent of a subcell and the proper stiffness degradation can be modeled if desired. This material model is suitable for implicit and could be modified for explicit finite element codes to deal with problems such as crashworthiness, impact, and failure analysis under static loads.     

三维五向编织复合材料渐进损伤分析及强度预测

基于材料连续体细观结构单胞,提出了材料的三维渐进损伤分析模型,采用非线性有限元方法并结合均匀化平均思想,首次建立了三维五向编织复合材料的强度预测模型。经研究典型编织角材料在拉伸载荷作用下细观损伤的发生及演化过程,分析了材料的细观失效机理,获得了材料的宏观拉伸应力应变曲线和极限破坏强度,并详细探讨了主要工艺参数编织角对材料宏观力学性能的影响规律。     

Pressure-sensitive ductile layers – II. 3D models of extensive damage

The mechanisms of void growth and coalescence in ductile polymeric layers, taking into account the effects of pressure-sensitivity, α, and plastic dilatancy, β, are explored in this two-part paper. In Part I, a two-dimensional model containing discrete cylindrical voids was used to simulate void growth and coalescence ahead of a crack. This paper extends the previous work by explicitly modeling initially spherical voids in a three-dimensional configuration. Damage predictions from the present 3D model for low yield strain adhesives are found to be in good agreement with both the 2D model in Part I and the computational cell element model. Significant discrepancies in the damage predictions, however, exist among all three models for high yield strain adhesives (e.g. polymers). The present 3D study also discusses the increasing damage level and its spatial extent with pressure-sensitivity, as well as the exacerbation of these effects arising from the deviation from an associated flow rule. In fact, both high porosity and high pressure-sensitivity promote void interaction. In addition, pressure-sensitivity increases the oblacity of the voids and reduces the intervoid ligament spacing over a wide range of load levels. These effects are compounded as the fracture process zone thickness decreases relative to the adhesive thickness. Results further show that both the adhesive toughness levels and the critical porosity governing the onset of void coalescence are significantly lowered with increasing pressure-sensitivity.     

Exterior statistics based boundary conditions for representative volume elements of elastic composites

Statistically equivalent representative volume elements or SERVEs are representations of the microstructure that are used for micromechanical simulations to generate homogenized material constitutive responses and properties (Swaminathan et al., 2006a, Ghosh, 2011). Typically, a SERVE is generated from the parent microstructure as a statistically equivalent region, whose size is determined from the requirements of convergence of macroscopic properties. Standard boundary conditions, such as affine transformation-based displacement boundary conditions (ATDBCs), uniform traction boundary conditions (UTBCs) or periodic boundary conditions (PBCs) are conventionally applied on the SERVE boundary for micromechanical simulations. However, when the microstructure is characterized by arbitrary, nonuniform distributions of heterogeneities, these simple boundary conditions do not represent the effect of regions exterior to the SERVE. Improper boundary conditions can result in significantly larger than optimal SERVE domains, needed for converged properties. In an attempt to overcome the limitations of the conventional boundary conditions on the SERVE, this paper explores the effect of boundary conditions that incorporate the statistics of the exterior region on the SERVE of elastic composites. Using Green's function based interaction kernels, coupled with statistical functions of the microstructural characteristics like one-point and two-point correlation functions, a novel exterior statistics-based boundary condition or ESBC is derived for the SERVE. The advantages of the ESBC are established by comparing with results of simulations using conventional boundary conditions. Results of the SERVE simulations subjected to ESBCs are also compared with those from other popular methods like statistical volume element (SVE) and weighted statistical volume element (WSVE). The proposed ESBCs offer significant advantages over other methods in the SERVE-based analysis of heterogeneous materials.     

Phenomenological constitutive model for a CNT turf

Carbon nanotubes (CNT), grown on a substrate, form a turf – a complex structure of intertwined, mostly nominally vertical tubes, cross-linked by adhesive contact and few bracing tubes. The turfs are compliant and good thermal and electrical conductors. In this paper, we consider the micromechanical analysis of the turf deformation reported earlier, and develop a phenomenological constitutive model of the turf. We benchmark the developed model using a finite element implementation and compare the model predictions to the results two different nanoindentation tests.The model includes: nonlinear elastic deformation, small Kelvin–Voigt type relaxation, caused by the thermally activated sliding of contacts, and adhesive contact between the turf and the indenter. The pre-existing (locked-in) strain energy of bent nanotubes produces a high initial tangent modulus, followed by an order of magnitude decrease in the tangent modulus with increasing deformation. The strong adhesion between the turf and indenter tip is due to the van der Waals interactions.The finite element simulations capture the results from the nanoindentation experiments, including the loading, unloading, viscoelastic relaxation during hold, and adhesive pull-off.     

Micromechanical approach to the strength properties of frictional geomaterials

The present paper describes a micromechanics-based approach to the strength properties of composite materials with a Drucker–Prager matrix in the situation of non-associated plasticity. The concept of limit stress states for such materials is first extended to the context of homogenization. It is shown that the macroscopic limit stress states can theoretically be obtained from the solution to a sequence of viscoplastic problems stated on the representative elementary volume. The strategy of resolution implements a non-linear homogenization technique based on the modified secant method. This procedure is applied to the determination of the macroscopic strength properties and plastic flow rule of materials reinforced by rigid inclusions, as well as for porous media. The role of the matrix dilatancy coefficient is in particular discussed in both cases. Finally, finite element solutions are derived for a porous medium and compared to the micromechanical predictions.     

A new formulation of the effective elastic–plastic response of two-phase particulate composite materials

In this paper the double-inclusion model, originally developed to determine effective linear elastic properties of composite materials, is reformulated and extended to predict the effective nonlinear elastic–plastic response of two-phase particulate composites reinforced with spherical particles. The resulting problem of elastic–plastic deformation of a double-inclusion embedded in an infinite reference medium subjected to an incrementally applied far-field strain is solved by the finite element method. The proposed double-inclusion model is evaluated by comparison of the model predictions to the available exact results obtained by the direct approach using representative volume elements containing many particles. It is found that the double-inclusion formulation is capable of providing accurate prediction of the effective elastic–plastic response of two-phase particulate composites at moderate particle volume fractions.     

Overall dynamic constitutive relations of layered elastic composites

A method for the homogenization of a layered elastic composite is presented. It allows direct, consistent, and accurate evaluation of the averaged overall frequency-dependent dynamic material constitutive relations without the need for a point-wise solution of the field equations. When the spatial variation of the field variables is restricted by Bloch-form (Floquet-form) periodicity, then these relations together with the overall conservation and kinematical equations accurately yield the displacement or stress mode-shapes and, necessarily, the dispersion relations. The method can also give the point-wise solution of the elastodynamic field equations (to any desired degree of accuracy), which, however, is not required for the calculation of the average overall properties. The resulting overall dynamic constitutive relations are general and need not be restricted by the Bloch-form periodicity.The formulation is based on micromechanical modeling of a representative unit cell of the composite. For waves in periodic layered composites, the overall effective mass-density and compliance (stiffness) are always real-valued whether or not the corresponding unit cell (representative volume element used as a unit cell) is geometrically and/or materially symmetric. The average strain and linear momentum are coupled and the coupling constitutive parameters are always each others' complex conjugates. We separate the overall constitutive relations, which depend only on the composition and structure of the unit cell, from the overall field equations which hold for any elastic composite; i.e., we use only the local field equations and material properties to deduce the overall constitutive relations. Finally, we present solved numerical examples to further clarify the structure of the averaged constitutive relations and to bring out the correspondence of the current method with recently published results.     

Piezoresistive fiber-reinforced composites: A coupled nonlinear micromechanical–microelectrical modeling approach

Piezoresistive composites are materials that exhibit spatial and effective electrical resistivity changes as a result of local mechanical deformations in their constituents. These materials have a wide array of applications from non-destructive evaluation to sensor technology. We propose a new coupled nonlinear micromechanical-microelectrical modeling framework for periodic heterogeneous media. These proposed micro-models enable the prediction of the effective piezoresistive properties along with the corresponding spatial distributions of local mechanical–electrical fields, such as stress, strain, current densities, and electrical potentials. To this end, the high fidelity generalized method of cells (HFGMC), originally developed for micromechanical analysis of composites, is extended for the micro-electrical modeling in order to predict their spatial field distributions and effective electrical properties. In both cases, the local displacement vector and electrical potential are expanded using quadratic polynomials in each subvolume (subcell). The equilibrium and charge conservations are satisfied in an average volumetric fashion. In addition, the continuity and periodicity of the displacements, tractions, electrical potential, and current are satisfied at the subcell interfaces on an average basis. Next, a one way coupling is established between the nonlinear mechanical and electrical effects, whereby the mechanical deformations affect the electrical conductivity in the fiber and/or matrix constituents. Incremental and total formulations are used to arrive at the proper nonlinear solution of the governing equations. The micro-electrical HFGMC is first verified by comparing the stand-alone electrical solution predictions with the finite element method for different doubly periodic composites. Next, the coupled HFGMC is calibrated and experimentally verified in order to examine the effective piezoresistivity of different composites. These include conductive polymeric matrices doped with carbon nano-tubes or particles. One advantage of the proposed nonlinear coupled micro-models is its ability to predict the local and effective electro-mechanical behaviors of multi-phase periodic composites with different conductive phases.     

Meshless method for nonlinear heat conduction analysis of nano-composites

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) may become ideal reinforcing materials for high-performance nano-composites due their exceptional properties. Still, much work is needed to be done before the potentials of CNT based composites can be fully realized. The evaluation of effective material properties of nano-composites is one of many difficult tasks. Simulations using continuum mechanics approach can play a significant role in the analysis of these composites. In the present work, nonlinear heat conduction analysis of CNT based composites has been carried out using continuum mechanics approach. Element free Galerkin method has been applied as a numerical tool. Thermal conductivities of nanotube and polymer matrix are assumed to vary quadratically with temperature. Picard and quasi-linearization schemes have been utilized to obtain the solution of a system of nonlinear equations. Cylindrical representative volume element has been used to evaluate the thermal properties of nano-composites. Present simulations show that the temperature dependent matrix thermal conductivity has a significant effect on the equivalent thermal conductivity of the composite, whereas temperature dependent nanotube thermal conductivity has a small effect on the equivalent thermal conductivity of the composite. The results obtained by Picard method have been found almost similar with those obtained by quasi-linearization approach.     

Nonlinear hardening and softening resonances in micromechanical cantilever-nanotube systems originated from nanoscale geometric nonlinearities

Micro/nanomechanical resonators often exhibit nonlinear behaviors due to their small size and their ease to realize relatively large amplitude oscillation. In this work, we design a nonlinear micromechanical cantilever system with intentionally integrated geometric nonlinearity realized through a nanotube coupling. Multiple scales analysis was applied to study the nonlinear dynamics which was compared favorably with experimental results. The geometrically positioned nanotube introduced nonlinearity efficiently into the otherwise linear micromechanical cantilever oscillator, evident from the acquired responses showing the representative hysteresis loop of a nonlinear dynamic system. It was further shown that a small change in the geometry parameters of the system produced a complete transition of the nonlinear behavior from hardening to softening resonance.     

Free-surface ductility in bulk forming processes

Free-surface ductility for bulk forming processes is investigated by finite element (FE) simulations of micromechanical representative volume elements (RVEs) subjected to typical deformation histories. Evidence is provided that failure in bulk forming might be explained by stability considerations rather than by void growth criteria. A readily applicable condition for stability is derived; the strain path curvature is shown to delay significantly the onset of instability. The criterion is used to obtain bulk forming limit diagrams both in principal strain and in principal stress space.