Thermomechanical constitutive equations for the dynamic response of ceramics

The behavior and failure of brittle materials is significantly influenced by the existence of inhomogeneities such as pores and cracks. The proposed constitutive equations model the coupled micro-mechanical response of these inhomogeneities through evolution equations for scalar measures of porosity, and a “density” function of randomly oriented penny-shaped cracks. A specific form for the Helmholtz free energy is proposed which incorporates the known Mie–Grüneisen constitutive equation for the nonporous solid. The resulting thermomechanical constitutive equations are valid for large deformations and the elastic response is hyperelastic in the sense that the stress is related to a derivative of the Helmholtz free energy. These equations allow for the simulation of the following physical phenomena exhibited by brittle materials: (1) high compressive strength compared with much lower tensile strength; (2) inelastic deformation due to growth and nucleation of cracks and pores instead of due to dislocation dynamics associated with metal plasticity; and (3) loss of integrity (degradation of elastic moduli) due to damage accumulation. The main features of the model are demonstrated by examples of cyclic loading in homogeneous deformation and by a simulation of a dynamic plate-impact experiment on AD85 ceramic. The theoretical predictions of the model are in excellent agreement with the dynamic experimental data.