A classification of higher-order strain-gradient models in damage mechanics

Summary In a previous contribution, higher-order strain-gradient models for linear elasticity have been studied in statics and dynamics [9]. In this paper, the extension towards damage mechanics is made. A damage model is derived from a discrete microstructure. In the homogenisation process, higher-order strain gradients appear both in the linear and in the nonlinear parts of the constitutive equation. Similar to the elastic models, stabilising and destabilising gradients can be distinguished. The stabilising or destabilising effect of each gradient term is determined. Opposite (competing) effects on the stability are found for the gradients of the elastic and the gradients in the damage response. Various truncations of the two strain-gradient series are studied, with the aim to arrive at a continuum model that fulfills the following requirements (i) it is derivable from a discrete microstructure, (ii) it is able to describe wave dispersion in elastic and damaging media properly, and (iii) it can be used to model strain-softening phenomena, i.e. it is a regularised model. The response of the various models is studied analytically and numerically. For the analytical investigation, dispersive waves are studied and critical wave lengths are derived. Numerical simulations are carried out with the element-free Galerkin method. This combined analytical/numerical approach allows to establish the role of the critical wave length both for mechanically stable and mechanically unstable models. For stabilised models, the critical wave length sets the width of the damaging zone. On the other hand, for destabilised models, the critical wave length sets a periodicity in the response that leads to divergence of the numerical scheme. The influence of the individual gradient terms on the stability and the structural ductility is verified in static and dynamic analyses. We thank Akke Suiker and Andrei Metrikine of Delft University of Technology for stimulating discussions throughout this study.     

Dispersive waves in microstructured solids

The wave motion in micromorphic microstructured solids is studied. The mathematical model is based on ideas of Mindlin and governing equations are derived by making use of the Euler–Lagrange formalism. The same result is obtained by means of the internal variables approach. Actually such a model describes internal fields in microstructured solids under external loading and the interaction of these fields results in various physical effects. The emphasis of the paper is on dispersion analysis and wave profiles generated by initial or boundary conditions in a one-dimensional case.     

On the influence of internal degrees of freedom on dispersion in microstructured solids

In the present paper a model describing wave propagation in the nonlinear dispersive media with microstructure is investigated. The model is based on the continuum approach following Mindlin's and Eringer's earlier theories which model a microstructure as a deformable cells in a macrostructure assuming that the deformation gradient is small. A generalized version of the Mindlin model called the Mindlin–Engelbrecht–Pastrone model (MEP) is used. The MEP model is solved numerically using the pseudospectral method and localized initial conditions together with periodic boundary conditions. The main focus of the study is on clarifying the influence of internal degrees of freedom of a microstructure on solutions.     

Prediction on dispersion in elastoplastic unsaturated granular media

This study focuses on the propagation of the plane wave in the elastoplastic unsaturated granular media, and the wave equations and dispersion equations are derived for the media under the framework of Cosserat theory. Due to symmetry, five different wave modes are considered and predicted for the elastoplastic unsaturated granular media based on the Cosserat theory, including two longitudinal waves, one rotational longitudinal wave and two coupled transverse–rotational transverse waves. The correspondence is discussed between these Cosserat wave modes and the classical wave modes. Based on the dispersion equations, the dispersion behaviors are obtained for the five Cosserat wave modes. The results indicated that the different stress-strain stages,including the elastic, hardening and softening stages, have obvious effect on the dispersion behaviors of the Cosserat wave modes.     

Analysis of wave propagation in micro/nanobeam-like structures: A size-dependent model

By incorporating the strain gradient elasticity into the classical Bernoulli-Euler beam and Timoshenko beam models, the size-dependent characteristics of wave propagation in micro/nanobeams is studied. The formulations of dispersion relation are explicitly derived for both strain gradient beam models, and presented for different material length scale parameters (MLSPs). For both phenomenological sizedependent beam models, the angular frequency, phase velocity and group velocity increase with increasing wave number. However, the velocity ratios approach different values for different beam models, indicating an interesting behavior of the asymptotic velocity ratio. The present theory is also compared with the nonlocal continuum beam models.     

Non-local continuum modeling of carbon nanotubes: Physical interpretation of non-local kernels using atomistic simulations

The longitudinal, transverse and torsional wave dispersion curves in single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) are used to estimate the non-local kernel for use in continuum elasticity models of nanotubes. The dispersion data for an armchair (10,10) SWCNT was obtained using lattice dynamics of SWNTs while accounting for the helical symmetry of the tubes. In our approach, the Fourier transformed kernel of non-local linear elastic theory is directly estimated by matching the atomistic data to the dispersion curves predicted from non-local 1D rod theory and axisymmetric shell theory. We found that gradient models incur significant errors in both the phase and group velocity when compared to the atomistic model. Complementing these studies, we have also performed detailed tests on the effect of length of the nanotube on the axial and shear moduli to gain a better physical insight on the nature of the true non-local kernel. We note that unlike the kernel from gradient theory, the numerically fitted kernel becomes negative at larger distances from the reference point. We postulate and confirm that the fitted kernel changes sign close to the inflection point of the interatomic potential. The numerically computed kernels obtained from this study will aid in the development of improved and efficient continuum models for predicting the mechanical response of CNTs.     

A second strain gradient elasticity theory with second velocity gradient inertia – Part II: Dynamic behavior

This paper is the sequel of a companion Part I paper devoted to the constitutive equations and to the quasi-static behavior of a second strain gradient material model with second velocity gradient inertia. In the present Part II paper, a multi-cell homogenization procedure (developed in the Part I paper) is applied to a nonhomogeneous body modelled as a simple material cell system, in conjunction with the principle of virtual work (PVW) for inertial actions (i.e. momenta and inertia forces), which at the macro-scale level takes on the typical format as for a second velocity gradient inertia material model. The latter (macro-scale) PVW is used to determine the equilibrium equations relating the (ordinary, double and triple) generalized momenta to the inertia forces. As a consequence of the surface effects, the latter inertia forces include (ordinary) inertia body forces within the bulk material, as well as (ordinary and double) inertia surface tractions on the boundary layer and (ordinary) inertia line tractions on the edge line rod; they all depend on the acceleration in a nonstandard way, but the classical laws are recovered in the case of no higher order inertia. The classical linear and angular momentum theorems are extended to the present context of second velocity gradient inertia, showing that the extended theorems—used in conjunction with the Cauchy traction theorem—lead to the local force and moment (stress symmetry) motion equations, just like for a classical continuum. A gradient elasticity theory is proposed, whereby the dynamic evolution problem for assigned initial and boundary conditions is shown to admit a Hamilton-type variational principle; the uniqueness of the solution is also discussed. A few simple applications to wave propagation and dispersion problems are presented. The paper indicates the correct way to describe the inertia forces in the presence of higher order inertia; it extends and improves previous findings by the author [Polizzotto, C., 2012. A gradient elasticity theory for second-grade materials and higher order inertia. Int. J. Solids Struct. 49, 2121–2137]. Overall conclusions are drawn at the end of the paper.     

Derivation of Mindlin’s first and second strain gradient elastic theory via simple lattice and continuum models

Mindlin, in his celebrated papers of Arch. Rat. Mech. Anal. 16, 51–78, 1964 and Int. J. Solids Struct. 1, 417–438, 1965, proposed two enhanced strain gradient elastic theories to describe linear elastic behavior of isotropic materials with micro-structural effects. Since then, many works dealing with strain gradient elastic theories, derived either from lattice models or homogenization approaches, have appeared in the literature. Although elegant, none of them reproduces entirely the equation of motion as well as the classical and non-classical boundary conditions appearing in Mindlin theory, in terms of the considered lattice or continuum unit cell. Furthermore, no lattice or continuum models that confirm the second gradient elastic theory of Mindlin have been reported in the literature. The present work demonstrates two simple one dimensional models that conclude to first and second strain gradient elastic theories being identical to the corresponding ones proposed by Mindlin. The first is based on the standard continualization of the equation of motion taken for a sequence of mass-spring lattices, while the second one exploits average processes valid in continuum mechanics. Furthermore, Mindlin developed his theory by adding new terms in the expressions of potential and kinetic energy and introducing intrinsic micro-structural parameter without however providing explicit expressions that correlate micro-structure with macro-structure. This is accomplished in the present work where in both models the derived internal length scale parameters are correlated to the size of the considered unit cell.     

GUIDED CIRCUMFERENTIAL WAVES IN DOUBLE-WALLED CARBON NANOTUBES

A model of guided circumferential waves propagating in double-walled carbon nan- otubes is built by the theory of wave propagation in continuum mechanics,while the van der Waals force between the inner and outer nanotube has been taken into account in the model.The dispersion curves of the guided circumferential wave propagation are studied,and some dispersion characteristics are illustrated by comparing with those of single-walled carbon nanotubes.It is found that in double-walled carbon nanotubes,the guided circumferential waves will propagate in more dispersive ways.More interactions between neighboring wave modes may take place.In particular,it has been found that a couple of wave modes may disappear at a certain frequency and that,while a couple of wave modes disappear,another new couple of wave modes are excited at the same wave number.     

Critical wave lengths and instabilities in gradient-enriched continuum theories

Continuum material models can be enriched with additional gradients in order to model phenomena that are driven by processes at lower levels of observation. For a systematic comparison of various gradient-enriched continua, dispersion analysis may be used. In this contribution, we will explore the occurence of critical wave lengths and its implications for the material stability. In particular, we will present a unifying theorem that permits to assess the stability of elastic, hardening and softening gradient-enriched continua by means of a critical wave length analysis, whereby the upper or lower bound nature of the critical wave length indicates whether the model is stable or unstable.     

A practical two-surface plasticity model and its application to spring-back prediction

A practical two-surface plasticity model based on classical Dafalias/Popov and Krieg concepts was derived and implemented to incorporate yield anisotropy and three hardening effects for non-monotonous deformation paths: the Bauschinger effect, transient hardening and permanent softening. A simple-but-effective stress-update scheme avoiding overshooting was proposed and implemented. Constitutive parameters were fit to 5754-O aluminum alloy using uniaxial tension/compression data. Spring-back predictions using the resulting material model were compared with experiments and with single-surface material models which do not account for permanent softening. The two-surface model improved such predictions significantly as compared with single-surface models, while the differences between two-surface simulations and experiments were insignificant.     

Dispersion characteristics of wave propagation in layered piezoelectric structures: Exact and simplified models

This article presents a study of the dispersion characteristics of wave propagation in layered piezoelectric structures under plane strain and open-loop conditions. The exact dispersion relation is first determined based on an electro-elastodynamic analysis. The dispersion equation is complicated and can be solved only by numerical methods. Since the piezoelectric layer is very thin and can be modeled as an electro-elastic film, a simplified model of the piezoelectric layer reduces this complex problem to a non-trivial solution of a series of quadratic equations of wave numbers. The model is simple, yet captures the main phenomena of wave propagation. This model determines the dispersion curves of PZT4-Aluminum layered structures and identifies the two lowest modes of waves: the generalized longitudinal mode and the generalized Rayleigh mode. The model is validated by comparing with exact solutions, indicating that the results are accurate when the thickness of the layer is smaller or comparable to the typical wavelength. The effect of the piezoelectricity is examined, showing a significant influence on the generalized longitudinal wave but a very limited effect on the generalized Rayleigh wave. Typical examples are provided to illustrate the wave modes and the effects of layer thickness in the simplified model and the effects of the material combinations.     

Comparative Analysis of Nonlinear Dispersive Shallow Water Models

The results of comparative analysis of some nonlinear dispersive models of shallow water are presented. The aim is to find their individual properties relevant for the numerical solution of some model problems of long wave transformation over submerged obstacles The study considers basic properties of the listed models and their numerical implementation. Computations are obtained compared with the analytical solution and experimental data. Attention is primarily focused on the models suggested by Peregrine (1967); Zheleznyak and Pelinovsky (1985); Kim, Reid, Whitakcr (1988): Fedotova and Pashkova (1997). Also classical equations of shallow water are considered in both linear and nonlinear approximations.     

A higher-order nonlocal elasticity and strain gradient theory and its applications in wave propagation

In recent years there have been many papers that considered the effects of material length scales in the study of mechanics of solids at micro- and/or nano-scales. There are a number of approaches and, among them, one set of papers deals with Eringen's differential nonlocal model and another deals with the strain gradient theories. The modified couple stress theory, which also accounts for a material length scale, is a form of a strain gradient theory. The large body of literature that has come into existence in the last several years has created significant confusion among researchers about the length scales that these various theories contain. The present paper has the objective of establishing the fact that the length scales present in nonlocal elasticity and strain gradient theory describe two entirely different physical characteristics of materials and structures at nanoscale. By using two principle kernel functions, the paper further presents a theory with application examples which relates the classical nonlocal elasticity and strain gradient theory and it results in a higher-order nonlocal strain gradient theory. In this theory, a higher-order nonlocal strain gradient elasticity system which considers higher-order stress gradients and strain gradient nonlocality is proposed. It is based on the nonlocal effects of the strain field and first gradient strain field. This theory intends to generalize the classical nonlocal elasticity theory by introducing a higher-order strain tensor with nonlocality into the stored energy function. The theory is distinctive because the classical nonlocal stress theory does not include nonlocality of higher-order stresses while the common strain gradient theory only considers local higher-order strain gradients without nonlocal effects in a global sense. By establishing the constitutive relation within the thermodynamic framework, the governing equations of equilibrium and all boundary conditions are derived via the variational approach. Two additional kinds of parameters, the higher-order nonlocal parameters and the nonlocal gradient length coefficients are introduced to account for the size-dependent characteristics of nonlocal gradient materials at nanoscale. To illustrate its application values, the theory is applied for wave propagation in a nonlocal strain gradient system and the new dispersion relations derived are presented through examples for wave propagating in Euler–Bernoulli and Timoshenko nanobeams. The numerical results based on the new nonlocal strain gradient theory reveal some new findings with respect to lattice dynamics and wave propagation experiment that could not be matched by both the classical nonlocal stress model and the contemporary strain gradient theory. Thus, this higher-order nonlocal strain gradient model provides an explanation to some observations in the classical and nonlocal stress theories as well as the strain gradient theory in these aspects.     

An asymptotic Reissner–Mindlin plate model

A mathematical study via variational convergence of a periodic distribution of classical linearly elastic thin plates softly abutted together shows that it is not necessary to use a different continuum model nor to make constitutive symmetry hypothesis as starting points to deduce the Reissner–Mindlin plate model.     

Low-frequency wave propagation in post-buckled structures

Nonlinear wave propagation in solids and material structures provides a physical basis to derive nonlinear canonical equations which govern disparate phenomena such as vortex filaments, plasma waves, and traveling loops. Nonlinear waves in solids however remain a challenging proposition since nonlinearity is often associated with irreversible processes, such as plastic deformations. Finite deformations, also a source of nonlinearity, may be reversible as for hyperelastic materials. In this work, we consider geometric bucking as a source of reversible nonlinear behavior. Namely, we investigate wave propagation in initially compressed and post-buckled structures with linear-elastic material behavior. Such structures present both intrinsic dispersion, due to buckling wavelengths, and nonlinear behavior. We find that dispersion is strongly dependent on pre-compression and we compute waves with a dispersive front or tail. In the case of post-buckled structures with large initial pre-compression, we find that wave propagation is well described by the KdV equation. We employ finite-element, difference-differential, and analytical models to support our conclusions.     

A macroscopic model for materials reinforced by flexible membranes

A macroscopic model is presented aimed at assessing the macroscopic elastic behaviour of materials reinforced by periodically distributed flexible membranes. According to this model, called multiphase model, the reinforced material is described not as a single homogenized continuum as in the classical homogenization approach, but as the superposition of two mutually interacting continuous media, namely the matrix phase and the reinforcement phase. It is shown in particular how such a model allows to capture both scale and boundary effects, which cannot be accounted for in a classical homogenization procedure.     

Reflection of acoustic wave at the interface of a fluid-loaded dipolargradient elastic half-space

This paper is about the reflection of a plane acoustic wave incident on a material modeled as a dipolar gradient solid. The dipolar gradient model has been used in order to account for the micro-structure present in multi-scale materials (e.g. biological issues, composites, meta-materials). The influence of the internal lengths of the gradient model on the reflection coefficient is described and discussed. A dispersive behavior is observed at high frequency, when the wavelength of the disturbance approaches the characteristic size of the material. This topic is of major interest for understanding the role played by the micro-structure in the reflection phenomena occurring at fluid–solid interfaces and find its application to material properties characterization by means of ultrasound waves.