Modeling the constitutive behavior of ferroelectric,ferromagnetic and multiferroic materials by using the condensed method (CM)

Due to the multifunctional applicability, smart materials are of particular interest in the field of material modeling. Most of the developed models, describing the nonlinear behavior, are implemented within the framework of the Finite Element Method (FEM). However, most investigations are restricted to simple boundary value problems (BVP) under uniaxial loading and their goal is the calculation of hysteresis loops. Regarding this circumstance, the so-called condensed method (CM) is introduced to investigate the macroscopic polycrystalline ferroelectric material behavior at a global material point without any kind of discretization scheme. In the presented paper, the CM is extended towards ferromagnetic and multiferroic material behavior. Moreover, numerical results for a pure ferromagnetic behavior and a comparison between the magnetoelectric coupling coefficient calculated by the FEM and the CM are presented. (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A phenomenological constitutive model for magnetostrictive materials and ferroelectric ceramics

The contribution is concerned with a thermodynamic consistent constitutive model for magnetostrictive materials and ferroelectric ceramics. It captures the nonlinear phenomenological behavior which is described by hysteresis effects. Magnetostrictive alloys and ferroelectric ceramics belong to the multifunctional materials. In recent years these materials have become widely–used in actor and sensor applications. They characterize an inherent coupling between deformation and magnetic or electric field. Due to the similarities of the coupled differential equations a uniform approach is applied for both phenomena. The presented three–dimensional material model is thermodynamically motivated. It is based on the definition of a specific free energy function and a switching criterion. Furthermore an additive split of strain and the magnetic or electric field in a reversible and an irreversible part is suggested. The irreversible quantities serve as internal variables, which is analog to plasticity theory. A one–to–one–relation between the two internal variables provides conservation of volume for the irreversible strains. The presented material model can approximate the ferromagnetic or ferroelectric hysteresis curve and the related butterfly hysteresis. Furthermore an extended approach for ferrimagnetic behavior, which occurs in magnetostrictive materials, is presented. Some numerical simulations demonstrate the capability of the presented model. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A condensed microelectromechanical constitutive and damage model for tetragonal ferroelectrics

A condensed model for ferroelectric solids with tetragonal unit cells is presented. The approach is microelectromechanically and physically motivated, considering discrete switching processes on the level of unit cells and quasi-continuous evolution of inelastic fields on the domain wall level. To calculate multiple grain interactions an interaction tensor is introduced. Hysteresis loops are simulated for pure electric and electromechanical loading, demonstrating e.g. the influence of a compressive preload on the poling process and interaction between statistically arranged crystallits. The residual stresses and the corresponding principle stresses are used to simulate fatigue damage in ferroelectric materials. (© 2014 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A tetragonal switching model for ferroelectric materials

In this work a tetragonal material model for ferroelectric materials including a microscopically motivated switching criterion is presented. The resulting formulation is able to describe ferroelectric switching effects on a microscopic scale under consideration of the natural tetragonal structure of the ferroelectric material. (© 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Nonlinear constitutive behavior of orthotropic materials

The problem of optimal material orientation is studied in the case of nonlinear elastic materials. Optimal orientations corresponding to extreme (maximal or minimal) energy density are obtained for orthotropic materials. The material behavior (the stress-strain relation) is simulated in a general form, which includes, as particular cases, different versions of the power law stress-strain relations. The optimality conditions are derived for the general cases. Local and global extremums are determined for particular cases.Presented at the 11th International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (Riga, June 11–15, 2000).Tartu University, Estonia. Published in Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 36, No. 4, pp. 445–454, March–April, 2000.     

A constitutive model for thermoplastic materials subjected to high strain rates

Reliable prediction of the behaviour of structures made from polymers is a topic under considerable investigation in engineering practice. Especially, if the structure is subjected to dynamic loading, constitutive models considering the mechanical behaviour properly are not available in commercial finite element codes yet. A constitutive model is derived including important phenomena like necking, strain rate dependency, unloading behaviour and damage. In particular, different yield surfaces in compression and tension and strain rate dependent failure, the latter with damage induced erosion, is taken into account. With the present formulation, standard verification tests can be simulated successfully. Also, an elastic damage model can be used to approximate the unloading behaviour of thermoplastics adequately. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A laminate-based modelling approach for rate-dependent switching in ferroelectric materials

This contribution focuses on the sequential laminate-based modelling approach for the numerical simulation of the complex electromechanical material behaviour of ferroelectric single crystals. The construction of engineered domain configurations by using the method of sequential lamination in order to study the domain evolution and polarisation switching in ferroelectric single crystals has recently been carried out in the works of [1–4]. By fulfilling the kinematic and polarisation compatibility conditions between the domain structures in a crystal, the proposed laminate-based formulation is governed by an energy-enthalpy function and by a dissipation potential. The mixed energy-enthalpy, written in terms of the total strains, electric field and a set of internal variables, here the multi-rank laminate volume fractions, governs the dissipative electromechanical response of the ferroelectric crystal, whereas the rate-dependent dissipation potential formulated in terms of the flux of the internal variables describes the time-dependent evolution of the multi-rank laminate volume fractions, subjected to inequality constraints. The model reproduces experimentally observed hysteresis and butterfly curves, characteristic for single crystal ferroelectric materials, when subjected to homogeneous electromechanical loading conditions. (© 2015 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Constitutive modeling of ferromagnetic and ferroelectric behaviors and application to multiferroic composites

In this paper, the constitutive modeling of nonlinear multifield behavior as well as the finite element implementation are presented. Nonlinear material models describing the magneto-ferroelectric or electro-ferromagnetic behaviors are presented. Both physically and phenomenologically motivated constitutive models have been developed for the numerical calculation of principally different nonlinear magnetostrictive behaviors. Further, the nonlinear ferroelectric behavior is based on a physically motivated constitutive model. On this basis, the polarization in the ferroelectric and magnetization in the ferromagnetic and magnetostrictive phases, respectively, are simulated and the resulting effects analyzed. Numerical simulations focus on the calculation of magnetoelectric coupling and on the prediction of local domain orientations going along with the poling process, thus supplying information on favorable electric-magnetic loading sequences. (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Damage model for ferroelectric materials and its applications to multilayer actuators

In this paper a damage model for ferroelectric materials is presented. It is implemented in terms of a user element in the commercial FEM-code Abaqus. The model is based on micromechanical considerations of domain switching and its interaction with microcrack growth and coalescence. Finite element analysis of a multilayer actuator is performed, showing principal stresses leading to crack initiation and damage of the actuator. (© 2014 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)     

Development of an elastic-plastic constitutive model for highly anisotropic materials

Homogenization methods are used to obtain the effective properties of highly anisotropic materials such like textile reinforced composites. The state of the art is the utilization of this method to compute elastic properties. But the consideration of inelastic and anisotropic properties requires the application of more advanced techniques such as the FE²-method. Due to the high numerical effort induced by this approach, this paper presents a new method to evaluate inelastic properties of an heterogeneous elastic-plastic material. The parameters describing the inelastic properties require a modification of the return mapping algorithm which is used for the numerical implementation. Finally, the verification shows the accuracy of the results obtained with this new homogenization method. (© 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A viscoelastic constitutive modeling of rubber-like materials with the Payne effect

This paper aims to present a viscoelastic constitutive model of rubber-like materials, which can capture the Payne effect under dynamic cyclic loadings. The Payne effect is induced by a damage process of bond rupture inside the rubber-like materials, which leads to the storage and loss moduli changing with the dynamic strain amplitude. A viscoelastic constitutive relation is established based on the nonequilibrium thermodynamics for the rubber-like materials by constructing the Helmholtz free energy as the superposition of a hyperelastic model and a convolution viscous model. The neo-Hookean hyperelastic model and the convolution viscous model in terms of the Prony series are then employed in a modification that the material parameters concerned are treated as internal variables and can be identified through a simple but effective approach. At last, the Payne effect is effectively predicted in a good agreement with experimental results.     

A data mining approach to forecast behavior

This study presents a data mining analysis of forecasting patterns in a supply chain. Multiple customers who are auto manufacturers order from a large auto parts supplier. The auto manufacturers provide forecasts for future orders and update them before the due date. The supplier uses these forecasts to plan production in advance. The accuracy of the forecasts varies from customer to customer. We provide a framework to analyze the forecast performance of the customers. There are different complexities in forecasts that are captured from our data set. Daily flow analysis helps to transform data and obtain accuracy ratios of forecasts. Customers are then classified based on their forecast performances. We demonstrate the application of some recent developments in clustering and pattern recognition analysis to performance analysis of customers.     

An approach to constructing models of multiphase elastic porous media

A novel approach to describing the behaviour of multiphase elastic porous media is proposed. The average values of the physical quantities needed to describe the motions of porous media are formulated using an integral relation. The validity of this relation is taken as the fundamental hypothesis. The integral definition of the average values enables integral relations to be devised for the average values from the integral laws of conservation of mass, momentum and energy and the increase in entropy. Along with the average values, the integral relations contain new variables that can be identified with generalized thermodynamic forces, which can be used to take into account the phase interaction in a porous medium. The integral relations are used to derive differential equations for the rate of entropy change and Gibbs relations for a porous medium as a basis for obtaining the constitutive relations. Relationships between the thermomechanical parameters of the model are established from the Gibbs relations under additional assumptions. The equation for the rate of entropy change can be used to establish relations between the generalized thermodynamic forces and fluxes. A complete system of differential equations in the defining parameters, which describes the motion of multiphase elastic porous media, is finally obtained.     

A note on the mechanical constitutive equations for materials with memory

Zusammenfassung Die Arbeit behandelt die Einschränkungen, welche sich für die Stoffgleichungen eines Materials mit Gedächtnis daraus ergeben, dass die simultane Rotation von Körper und Bezugssystem die Spannungen unverändert lassen muss. Zwei frühere Methoden zur Gewinnung dieser Einschränkungen wurden vertieft.     

A unified thermal-hardening and thermal-softening constitutive model of soils

Based on the modified Cam-clay model and the concept of subloading yield surface, a thermo-elastoplastic model of normally consolidated and overconsolidated soils is presented in detail. The model is able to describe the thermal-hardening and thermal-softening mechanical behavior of soils with a unified set of parameters. A thermo-induced equivalent stress is proposed to consider the effect of temperature on yield surface and evolution of overconsolidation during shearing process. At the same time, the effect of temperature on the shear stress ratio at the critical state is also implemented in the model. Through comparing the simulated results with test results under different loading and temperature conditions, the availability and the accuracy of the proposed model are carefully verified. Finally, the generating mechanism of the thermal-hardening and thermal-softening mechanical behavior of soil under non-isothermal condition is discussed based on the proposed model.     

A comparison of two microplane constitutive models for quasi-brittle materials

This article presents a comparison of two microplane constitutive models. The basis of the microplane constitutive models are described and the adopted assumptions for the conception of these models are discussed, with regard to: decomposition of the macroscopic strains into the microplanes, definition of the microplane material laws, including the choice of variables that control the material degradation, and homogenization process to obtain the macroscopic quantities. The differences between the two models, with respect to the employed assumptions, are emphasized and expressions to calculate the macroscopic stresses are presented. The models are then used to describe the behavior of quasi-brittle materials by finite element simulations of uniaxial tension and compression and pure share stress tests. The results of the simulations permit to compare the capability of the models in describing the post critical strain-softening behavior, without numerically induced strain localization.