"Homogenization of strength" - A numerical limit analysis approach

Abstract

"Homogenization of strength" is probably the most disputed part in mul-tiscale modeling of material systems. The formation of distinct failure zones within the materials is - to a high extent - triggered by the material morphology defining the arrangement of voids and reinforcing particles. Moreover, the forming failure zones introduce a new length scale, making the definition of representative volume elements (RVEs) and their boundary conditions a challenging task. In this paper, use of numerical limit analysis for determination of strength properties of material systems is proposed. First, studies on the convergence performance of the proposed method as regards spatial discretization of the material system and the size of the considered RVE are presented. Thereafter, new insight is gained by the application of the limit analysis approach to porous materials and matrix-particles materials, giving access to effective failure surfaces of the considered material systems.