On some connections between equivalent single material and mixture theory models for fiber reinforced hyperelastic materials

There are two approaches that can be used to model the large strain mechanical response of material systems in which elastic fibers are embedded in an elastic matrix. In the first approach, a fiber reinforced material undergoing large deformation is homogenized in the sense that it is assumed to act as an equivalent single material that is transversely isotropic and hyperelastic. Both constituents then share a common reference configuration, which is typically assumed to be a natural or stress-free configuration for the equivalent single material. The stress depends on a single deformation gradient defined with respect to the natural configuration.In the second approach, the fiber/matrix system is treated as a mixture, with the matrix and the fibrous constituents having their own reference configurations and material symmetries. The total stress depends on the deformation gradients and material symmetries for both constituents, defined with respect to their reference configurations.Under appropriate assumptions, the constitutive theory developed using mixture theory can coincide with the constitutive theory assuming an equivalent single material that is transversely isotropic and hyperelastic. This paper explores the connection between the two approaches by considering the various reference configurations and material symmetries.