Micromechanics-based elastic damage modeling of particulate composites with weakened interfaces

A micromechanical framework is proposed to predict the effective elastic behavior and weakened interface evolution of particulate composites. The Eshelby’s tensor for an ellipsoidal inclusion with slightly weakened interface [Qu, J., 1993a. Eshelby tensor for an elastic inclusion with slightly weakened interfaces. Journal of Applied Mechanics 60 (4), 1048–1050; Qu, J., 1993b. The effect of slightly weakened interfaces on the overall elastic properties of composite materials. Mechanics of Materials 14, 269–281] is adopted to model spherical particles having imperfect interfaces in the composites and is incorporated into the micromechanical framework. Based on the Eshelby’s micromechanics, the effective elastic moduli of three-phase particulate composites are derived. A damage model is subsequently considered in accordance with the Weibull’s probabilistic function to characterize the varying probability of evolution of weakened interface between the inclusion and the matrix. The proposed micromechanical elastic damage model is applied to the uniaxial, biaxial and triaxial tensile loadings to predict the various stress–strain responses. Comparisons between the present predictions with other numerical and analytical predictions and available experimental data are conducted to assess the potential of the present framework.     

一种预测颗粒增强复合材料界面力学性能的新方法

界面在颗粒增强复合材料中起到传递载荷的关键作用, 界面性能对复合材料整体力学行为产生重要影响. 然而由于复合材料内部结构较为复杂, 颗粒与基体间的界面强度和界面断裂韧性难以确定, 尤其是法向与切向界面强度的分别预测缺乏有效方法. 本文以氧化锆颗粒增强聚二甲基硅氧烷(PDMS)复合材料为研究对象, 提出一种预测颗粒增强复合材料界面力学性能的新方法. 首先, 实验获得纯PDMS基体材料及单颗粒填充PDMS试样的单轴拉伸应力$\!-\!$应变曲线, 标定出PDMS基体材料的单轴拉伸超弹性本构关系; 其次, 建立与单颗粒填充试样一致的有限元模型, 选择特定的黏结区模型描述界面力学行为, 通过样品不同阶段拉伸力学响应的实验与数值结果对比, 分别给出颗粒与基体界面的法向强度、切向强度及界面断裂韧性; 进一步应用标定的界面力学参数, 开展不同尺寸及不同数目颗粒填充试样的实验与数值结果比较, 验证界面性能预测结果的合理性. 本文提出的界面力学性能预测方法简便、易操作、精度高, 对定量预测颗粒增强复合材料的力学性能具有一定帮助, 亦对定量预测纤维增强复合材料的界面性能具有一定参考意义.      

An elastoplastic damage model for metal matrix composites considering progressive imperfect interface under transverse loading

An elastoplastic damage model considering progressive imperfect interface is proposed to predict the effective elastoplastic behavior and multi-level damage progression in fiber-reinforced metal matrix composites (FRMMCs) under transverse loading. The modified Eshelby’s tensor for a cylindrical inclusion with slightly weakened interface is adopted to model fibers having mild or severe imperfect interfaces [Lee, H.K., Pyo, S.H., 2009. A 3D-damage model for fiber-reinforced brittle composites with microcracks and imperfect interfaces. J. Eng. Mech. ASCE. doi:10.1061/(ASCE)EM.1943-7889.0000039]. An elastoplastic model is derived micromechanically on the basis of the ensemble-volume averaging procedure and the first-order effects of eigenstrains. A multi-level damage model [Lee, H.K., Pyo, S.H., 2008a. Multi-level modeling of effective elastic behavior and progressive weakened interface in particulate composites. Compos. Sci. Technol. 68, 387–397] in accordance with the Weibull’s probabilistic function is then incorporated into the elastoplastic multi-level damage model to describe the sequential, progressive imperfect interface in the composites. Numerical examples corresponding to uniaxial and biaxial transverse tensile loadings are solved to illustrate the potential of the proposed micromechanical framework. A series of parametric analysis are carried out to investigate the influence of model parameters on the progression of imperfect interface in the composites. Furthermore, a comparison between the present prediction and experimental data in the literature is made to assess the capability of the proposed micromechanical framework.     

A combined viscoelastic–viscoplastic behavior of particle reinforced composites

This study formulates a micromechanical model for predicting effective viscoelastic–viscoplastic responses of composites. The studied composites consist of solid spherical particle reinforcements dispersed in a homogeneous matrix. The particle constituent is assumed linear elastic, while the matrix exhibits combined viscoelastic–viscoplastic responses. The Schapery integral model is used for the 3D isotropic non-linear viscoelastic responses. Two viscoplastic models are considered: the Perzyna model, having a rate-independent yield surface and an overstress function, and the Valanis endochronic model based on an irreversible thermodynamics without a yield surface. The Valanis model is suitable for materials when viscoplastic responses occur at early loadings (small stress levels). A unit-cell model with four particle and polymer sub-cells is generated to obtain homogenized responses of the particle-reinforced composites. Available micromechanical models and experimental data in the literature are used to verify the proposed micromechanical model in predicting effective time-dependent and inelastic responses of composites. Field variables in the homogenized composites are compared to the ones in heterogeneous composites. The heterogeneous composites, having detailed particle geometries, are modeled using finite element (FE) method.     

炭黑增强橡胶复合材料力学行为的三维数值模拟

本文基于炭黑填充橡胶复合材料具有周期性细观结构的假设,采用一种新的、改进的随机序列吸附算法建立了三维多球颗粒随机分布式代表性体积单元,并通过细观力学有限元方法对炭黑颗粒填充橡胶复合材料的力学行为进行了模拟仿真。研究结果表明：采用改进的随机序列吸附算法所建立的模型更加便于有限元离散化;模拟中周期性边界条件的约束,使其更加符合实际约束的真实情况;炭黑填充橡胶复合材料的有效模量明显高于未填充橡胶材料,并随着炭黑颗粒所占体积分数的增加而增大;通过比较发现,本文提出的多球颗粒随机分布式三维数值模型对复合材料的应力-应变行为和有效弹性模量的预测结果与实验结果吻合良好,证实了该模型能够用于炭黑颗粒增强橡胶基复合材料有效性能的模拟分析。     

Hysteretic linear and nonlinear acoustic responses from pressed interfaces

An analysis of the linear and nonlinear acoustic responses from an interface between rough surfaces in elastoplastic contact is presented as a model of the ultrasonic wave interactions with imperfect interfaces and closed cracks. A micromechanical elastoplastic contact model predicts the linear and second order interfacial stiffness from the topographic and mechanical properties of the contacting surfaces during a loading–unloading cycle. The effects of those surface properties on the linear and nonlinear reflection/transmission of elastic longitudinal waves are shown. The second order harmonic amplitudes of reflected/transmitted waves decrease by more than an order of magnitude during the transition from the elastic contact mode to the elastoplastic contact mode. It is observed that under specific loading histories the interface between smooth surfaces generates higher elastoplastic hysteresis in the interfacial stiffness and the acoustic nonlinearity than interfaces between rough surfaces. The results show that when plastic flow in the contacting asperities is significant, the acoustic nonlinearity is insensitive to the asperity peak distribution. A comparison with existing experimental data for the acoustic nonlinearity in the transmitted waves is also given with a discussion on its contact mechanical implication.     

A continuum micromechanical theory of overall plasticity for particulate composites including particle size effect

Classical continuum micromechanics cannot predict the particle size dependence of the overall plasticity for composite materials, a simple analytical micromechanical method is proposed in this paper to investigate this size dependence. The matrix material is idealized as a micropolar continuum, an average equivalent inclusion method is advanced and the Mori–Tanaka's method is extended to a micropolar medium to evaluate the effective elastic modulus tensor. The overall plasticity of composites is predicted by a new secant moduli method based on the second order moment of strain and torsion of the matrix in a framework of micropolar theory. The computed results show that the size dependence is more pronounced when the particle's size approaches to the matrix characteristic length, and for large particle sizes, the prediction coincides with that predicted by classical micromechanical models. The method is analytical in nature, and it can capture the particle size dependence on the overall plastic behavior for particulate composites, and the prediction agrees well with the experimental results presented in literature. The proposed model can be considered as a natural extension of the widely used secant moduli method from a heterogeneous Cauchy medium to a micropolar composite.     

编织复合材料弹性性能的细观力学模型

提出了编织复合材料弹性性能分析的细观力学模型，这个力学模型考虑了实际编织结构中的纬向和经向纤维束的曲屈，相邻纤维束之间的间隙和纤维束的横截面尺寸对编织复合材料弹性性能的影响，并探讨了在纤维束间纯树脂区内孔隙的含量和两种叠层结构对材料弹性性能的影响．理论计算结果与实测值的比较，表明所提出的细观力学模型是合理的．根据理论分析的结果，提出了优化单层和叠层编织结构的结构参数选择方法     

An elastoplastic multi-level damage model for ductile matrix composites considering evolutionary weakened interface

An elastoplastic multi-level damage model considering evolutionary weakened interface is developed in this work to predict the effective elastoplastic behavior and multi-level damage evolution in particle reinforced ductile matrix composites (PRDMCs). The elastoplastic multi-level damage model is micromechanically derived on the basis of the ensemble-volume averaging procedure and the first-order effects of eigenstrains. The Eshelby’s tensor for an ellipsoidal inclusion with slightly weakened interface [Qu, J., 1993a. Eshelby tensor for an elastic inclusion with slightly weakened interfaces. Journal of Applied Mechanics 60 (4), 1048–1050; Qu, J., 1993b. The effect of slightly weakened interfaces on the overall elastic properties of composite materials. Mechanics of Materials, 14, 269–281] is adopted to model particles having mildly or severely weakened interface, and a multi-level damage model [Lee, H.K., Pyo, S.H., in press. Multi-level modeling of effective elastic behavior and progressive weakened interface in particulate composites. Composites Science and Technology] in accordance with the Weibull’s probabilistic function is employed to describe the sequential, progressive weakened interface in the composites. Numerical examples corresponding to uniaxial, biaxial and triaxial tension loadings are solved to illustrate the potential of the proposed micromechanical framework. A series of parametric analysis are carried out to investigate the influence of model parameters on the progression of weakened interface in the composites. Furthermore, the present prediction is compared with available experimental data in the literature to verify the proposed elastoplastic multi-level damage model.     

A micromechanical model for predicting thermal properties and thermo-viscoelastic responses of functionally graded materials

This study introduces a micromechanical model for predicting effective thermo-viscoelastic behaviors of a functionally graded material (FGM). The studied FGM consists of two constituents with varying compositions through the thickness. The microstructure of the FGM is idealized as solid spherical particles spatially distributed in a homogeneous matrix. The mechanical properties of each constituent can vary with temperature and time, while the thermal properties are allowed to change with temperature. The FGM model includes a transition zone where the inclusion and matrix constituents are not well defined. At the transition zone, an interchange between the two constituents as inclusion and matrix takes place such that the maximum inclusion volume contents before and after the transition zone are less than 50%. A micromechanical model is used to determine through-thickness effective thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, and time-dependent compliance/stiffness of the FGM. The material properties at the transition zone are assumed to vary linearly between the two properties at the bounds of the transition zone. The micromechanical model is designed to be compatible with finite element (FE) scheme and used to analyze heat conduction and thermo-viscoelastic responses of FGMs. Available experimental data and analytical solutions in the literature are used to verify the thermo-mechanical properties of FGMs. The effects of time and temperature dependent constituent properties on the overall temperature, stress, and displacement fields in the FGM are also examined.     

Effective viscoelastic behavior of particulate polymer composites at finite concentration

Polymeric materials usually present some viscoelastic behavior. To improve the mechanical behavior of these materials, ceramics materials are often filled into the polymeric materials in form of fiber or particle. A micromechanical model was proposed to estimate the overall viscoelastic behavior for particulate polymer composites, especially for high volume concentration of filled particles. The method is based on Laplace transform technique and an elastic model including two-particle interaction. The effective creep compliance and the stress and strain relation at a constant loading rate are analyzed. The results show that the proposed method predicts a significant stiffer response than those based on Mori-Tanaka's method at high volume concentration of particles.     

Size-dependent effective elastic moduli of particulate composites with interfacial displacement and traction discontinuities

This work aims at estimating the size-dependent effective elastic moduli of particulate composites in which both the interfacial displacement and traction discontinuities occur. To this end, the interfacial discontinuity relations derived from the replacement of a thin uniform interphase layer between two dissimilar materials by an imperfect interface are reformulated so as to considerably simplify the characteristic expressions of a general elastic imperfect model which is adopted in the present work and include the widely used Gurtin–Murdoch and spring-layer interface models as particular cases. The elastic fields in an infinite body made of a matrix containing an imperfectly bonded spherical particle and subjected to arbitrary remote uniform strain boundary conditions are then provided in an exact, coordinate-free and compact way. With the aid of these results, the elastic properties of a perfectly bonded spherical particle energetically equivalent to an imperfectly bonded one in an infinite matrix are determined. The estimates for the effective bulk and shear moduli of isotropic particulate composites are finally obtained by using the generalized self-consistent scheme and discussed through numerical examples.     

ELASTIC BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS OF 3D ANGLE-INTERLOCK WOVEN CERAMIC COMPOSITES

A micromechanical model for elastic behavior analysis of angle-interlock woven ceramic composites is proposed in this paper. This model takes into account the actual fabric structure by considering the fiber undulation and continuity in space, the cavities between adjacent yarns and the actual cross-section geometry of the yarn. Based on the laminate theory, the elastic properties of 3D angle-interlock woven ceramic composites are predicted. Different numbers of interlaced wefts have almost the same elastic moduli. The thickness of ceramic matrix has little effect on elastic moduli. When the undulation ratio increases longitudinal modulus decreases and the other Young's moduli increase. Good agreement between theoretical predictions and experimental results demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed model in analyzing the elastic properties of 3D angle-interlock woven ceramic composites. The results of this paper verify the fact that the method of analyzing polyester matrix composites is suitable for woven ceramic composites.     

倾斜内锁型三维机织陶瓷基复合材料的细观力学模型

利用平均化方法提出了倾斜内锁型三维机织陶瓷基复合材料弹性性能分析的三维细观力学模型,对材料的弹性性能进行了预测。这个力学模型考虑了倾斜内锁型三维机织陶瓷基复合材料经向纤维束的弯曲和纬向纤维束的平直,纤维束的横截面形状尺寸和相邻纤维束之间的孔洞以及材料制造过程中碳纤维性能下降对弹性性能的影响。基于层合板理论,提出两种单胞应变状态假设分别对材料的九个弹性常数进行了推导计算,结果表明两种方法理论的预测值非常接近。计算结果与实验值比较吻合,表明所提出的细观力学模型是合理的,可以为纺织陶瓷基复合材料的优化设计提供有价值的参考。     

A material model for cementitious composite materials with an exterior point Eshelby microcrack initiation criterion

A micromechanical model for cementitious composite materials is described in which microcrack initiation, in the interfacial transition zone between aggregate particles and cement matrix, is governed by an exterior-point Eshelby solution. The model assumes a two-phase elastic composite, derived from an Eshelby solution and the Mori–Tanaka homogenization method, to which circular microcracks are added. A multi-component rough crack contact model is employed to simulate normal and shear behaviour of rough microcrack surfaces. The development of the microcrack initiation criterion and the rules adopted for microcrack evolution are a particular focus of the paper. Finally, it is shown, on the basis of several numerical simulations, that the model captures key characteristics of the behaviour of cementitious composites such as concrete.     

复合材料模量细观分析的一般性模型

基于细观力学理论,提出了横观各向异性复合材料弹性常数的分析模型,并给出了纵向(纤维长度方向) 与横向弹性模量、横截面内剪切模量和泊松比等材料性能参数的理论推导和计算公式. 此方法简洁准确地反映了材料横观各向异性性能,改进了常规细观力学模型,也为工程分析提供了理论依据;同时在复合材料力学课程教学中,有助于深化学生对复合材料细观分析的理解,具有一定的启发性.     

Electroelastic behavior of piezoelectric composites with coated reinforcements: Micromechanical approach and applications

In this work, a micromechanical model for the estimate of the electroelastic behavior of the piezoelectric composites with coated reinforcements is proposed. The piezoelectric coating is considered as a thin layer with active electroelastic properties different from those of the inclusion and the matrix. The micromechanical approach based on the Green’s functions technique and on the interfacial operators is designed for solving the electroelasticity inhomogeneous coated inclusion problem. The effective properties of a piezoelectric composite containing thinly coated inclusions are obtained through the Mori–Tanaka’s model. Numerical investigations into electroelastic moduli responsible for the electromechanical coupling are presented as functions of the volume fraction and characteristics of the coated inclusions. Comparisons with existing analytical and numerical results are presented for cylindrical and elliptic coated inclusions.     

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.     

Micromechanics-based modelling of stiffness and yield stress for silica/polymer nanocomposites

Establishing structure–property relationships for nanoparticle/polymer composites is a fundamental task for a reliable design of such new systems. A micromechanical analytical model is proposed in the present work, in order to address the problem of stiffness and yield stress prediction in the case of nanocomposites consisting of silica nanoparticles embedded in a polymer matrix. It takes into account an interphase corresponding to a perturbed region of the polymer matrix around the nanoparticles. Its modulus is continuously graded from that of the silica nanoparticle to that of the polymer matrix. Considering the thickness of the third phase as a characteristic length scale, the influence of particle size on the overall nanocomposite behaviour is examined. The key role of the interphase on both the overall stiffness and yield stress is studied and the model output is compared to experimental data of various silica spherical nanoparticle/polymer composites extracted from the literature. The model is also used to examine the influence of interphase features on the overall nanocomposite behaviour. A finite element analysis is then achieved and the numerical results are validated using the analytical predictions. Local stress and strain distributions are analysed in order to understand the phenomena occurring at the nano-scale.     

含界面相Voronoi单元的等效弹性常数的计算

采用含界面相Voronoi单元有限元法,根据广义胡克定律,计算了在给定边界条件下,颗粒增强复合材料的等效弹性常数。建立了含多个随机分布的椭圆形夹杂及界面相的VCFEM模型,分析了夹杂体分比,界面相厚度和界面相弹性模量等因素对颗粒增强复合材料等效弹性常数的影响,并利用普通有限元方法对比验证。结果表明,当界面相弹性模量小于基体与夹杂时,材料的等效弹性模量会随着界面相厚度的增大而减小,随着夹杂体分比的增大而减小,并且界面过薄时,材料的等效弹性模量会随着夹杂体分比的增大而增大;当界面相弹性模量大于基体或夹杂时,材料的等效弹性模量会随着夹杂体分比和界面相厚度的增大而增大。而界面相的厚度和弹性模量对材料的等效泊松比的影响较小,材料的等效泊松比主要受夹杂体分比的影响,与其呈反比关系。