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The anisotropic elastic properties of injection molded composites are fundamentally coupled to the flow of the fiber suspension during mold-filling. Regarding the modeling of mold-filling processes, both a decoupled and a flow–fiber coupled approach are possible. In the latter, the fiber-induced viscous anisotropy is considered in the computation of the flow field. This in turn influences the evolution of the fiber orientation compared to the decoupled case. This study investigates how flow–fiber coupling in mold-filling simulation affects the stress field in the solid composite under load based on the final elastic properties after fluid–solid transition. Furthermore, the effects of Newtonian and non-Newtonian polymer matrix behavior are investigated and compared. The entire process is modeled micromechanically unified based on mean-field homogenization, both for the fiber suspension and for the solid composite. Different numerical stabilization methods of the mold-filling simulation are discussed in detail. Short glass fibers with a typical aspect ratio of 20 and a volume fraction of 20% are considered, embedded in polypropylene matrix material. The results show that the flow–fiber coupling has a large effect on the fiber orientation tensor in the range of over ± 30% with respect to the decoupled simulation. As a consequence, the flow–fiber coupling affects the stress field in the solid composite under load in the range of over ± 10%. In addition, the predictions based on a non-Newtonian modeling of the matrix fluid differ significantly from the Newtonian setup and thus the necessity to consider the shear-thinning behavior is justified in a quantifiable manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mean-field homogenization is an established and computationally efficient method estimating the effective linear elastic behavior of composites. In view of short-fiber reinforced materials, it is important to homogenize consistently during process simulation. This paper aims to comprehensively reflect and expand the basics of mean-field homogenization of anisotropic linear viscous properties and to show the parallelism to the anisotropic linear elastic properties. In particular, the Hill–Mandel condition, which is generally independent of a specific material behavior, is revisited in the context of boundary conditions for viscous suspensions. This study is limited to isothermal conditions, linear viscous and incompressible fiber suspensions and to linear elastic solid composites, both of which consisting of isotropic phases with phase-wise constant properties. In the context of homogenization of viscous properties, the fibers are considered as rigid bodies. Based on a chosen fiber orientation state, different mean-field models are compared with each other, all of which are formulated with respect to orientation averaging. Within a consistent mean-field modeling for both fluid suspensions and solid composites, all considered methods can be recommended to be applied for fiber volume fractions up to 10%. With respect to larger, industrial-relevant, fiber volume fractions up to 20%, the (two-step) Mori–Tanaka model and the lower Hashin–Shtrikman bound are well suited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a mathematical modeling of the elastic properties of cubic crystals with centrosymmetry at small scales by means of the Toupin–Mindlin anisotropic first strain gradient elasticity theory is presented. In this framework, two constitutive tensors are involved, a constitutive tensor of fourth-rank of the elastic constants and a constitutive tensor of sixth-rank of the gradient-elastic constants. First, 3 + 11 material parameters (3 elastic and 11 gradient-elastic constants), 3 characteristic lengths and 1 + 6 isotropy conditions are derived. The 11 gradient-elastic constants are given in terms of the 11 gradient-elastic constants in Voigt notation. Second, the numerical values of the obtained quantities are computed for four representative cubic materials, namely aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and tungsten (W) using an interatomic potential (MEAM). The positive definiteness of the strain energy density is examined leading to 3 necessary and sufficient conditions for the elastic constants and 7 ones for the gradient-elastic constants in Voigt notation. Moreover, 5 lattice relations as well as 8 generalized Cauchy relations for the gradient-elastic constants are derived. Furthermore, using the normalized Voigt notation, a tensor equivalent matrix representation of the two constitutive tensors is given. A generalization of the Voigt average toward the sixth-rank constitutive tensor of the gradient-elastic constants is given in order to determine isotropic gradient-elastic constants. In addition, Mindlin's isotropic first strain gradient elasticity theory is also considered offering through comparisons a deeper understanding of the influence of the anisotropy in a crystal as well as the increased complexity of the mathematical modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work discusses the impact of the back coupling of the fiber orientation distribution on the base flow and on the fiber orientation itself during mold filling simulations. Flows through a channel and over a backward-facing step are investigated. Different closure approximations are considered for modeling the flow-induced evolution of anisotropy. The results corresponding to the decoupled approach, in which the effect of fibers on local fluid properties is neglected, build the basis of comparison. The modeling is limited to a laminar, incompressible, and isothermal flow of a fiber suspension consisting of rigid short fibers suspended in an isotropic Newtonian matrix fluid. A linear, anisotropic constitutive law is used in combination with a uniform fiber volume fraction of 10% and an aspect ratio of 10. To evaluate the impact of back coupling and of different closure methods in view of the manufactured solid composite the resulting anisotropic elastic properties are investigated based on the Mori–Tanaka method combined with an orientation average scheme. Relative to the range [0, 1] the pointwise difference in fiber orientation between the decoupled and the coupled approach is found to be ± 5 % in the channel and ± 30 % in the backward-facing step, respectively. The viscosity and the elasticity tensor show both significant flow-induced anisotropies as well as a strong dependence on closure and coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is shown in the present work that for linear elastic multiphase materials the orientation average of a stiffness tensor can be given in a closed form if central model functions are taken into consideration for the description of the material orientation distribution. This holds for arbitrary numbers of material constituents and for arbitrary degree of anisotropy of any of the constituents. The first-order bounds of Voigt and Reuss, the geometric average of Aleksandrov and Aisenberg and, specifically, the Hashin-Shtrikman bounds are given in closed forms depending on the single crystal stiffnesses of the material constituents, on their volume fractions and, for elasticity, on a central orientation and two scalar parameters per central model function. The central orientation and the two scalar parameters, referred to as texture eigenvalues in the present work, reflect the complete influence of the corresponding central model function on the elastic properties. The set of all admissible texture eigenvalues is derived. The closed form expressions can be used, e.g., for efficient and low dimensional homogenization procedures taking the crystallographic texture into account or, e.g., for the determination of estimates for unknown single crystal behavior. It is further shown, that central crystallite orientation distributions exist which conserve the anisotropy of the single crystal behavior but invert the direction of the anisotropy. The closed form expressions documented in the present work are used for an exemplary materials design problem in order to determine favorable volume fractions and texture eigenvalues for the orientation distributions of considered constituents for given prescribed anisotropic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical properties of short-fiber reinforced composites are crucially influenced by their microstructure. The microstructure itself is mainly governed by the manufacturing process like injection or compression molding. The main contribution of this paper lies in the homogenization of linear elastic properties using experimental microstructural information. For this purpose, the microstructure of injection-molded specimens made of polypropylene reinforced with 30wt.% of short glass fibers are analyzed through micro-computer tomography (μCT) measurements. Applying a recently developed segmentation algorithm, the spatial position, the orientation distribution and the length of the fibers are determined. This data is evaluated in terms of orientation tensors and length distribution, and is used within three mean field approaches: a self-consistent homogenization method, the interaction direct derivative estimate, which is based on the three-phase model, and a two-step bounding method. All methods account for the orientation, the length and the diameter distribution. The numerical results are compared to experimental tensile tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive study on the influence of planar fourth-order fiber orientation tensors on effective linear elastic stiffnesses predicted by orientation averaging mean field homogenization is given. Fiber orientation states of sheet molding compound (SMC) are identified to be in most cases approximately planar. In the planar case, all possible fourth-order fiber orientation tensors are given by a minimal invariant set of structurally differing planar fourth-order fiber orientation tensors. This set defines a three-dimensional body and forms the basis for a comprehensive study on the influence of a fiber orientation distribution in terms of a fourth-order tensor on homogenized stiffnesses. The methodology of this study is the main contribution of this work and can be adopted to analyze the orientation dependence of any quantity which is a function of a planar fourth-order fiber orientation tensor. At specific points inside the set of planar fiber orientation tensors, effective stiffnesses are calculated with selected mean field homogenization schemes. These schemes are based on orientation averaging of transversely isotropic elasticity tensors following Advani and Tucker (1987), which is explicitly recast as linear invariant composition in the fiber orientation tensors of second and fourth order of Kanatani third kind. A maximum entropy reconstruction of a fiber orientation distribution function based on leading fiber orientation tensors, enables a new numerical formulation of the Advani and Tucker average for the special planar case. Polar plots of Young's modulus and generalized bulk modulus obtained by selected homogenization schemes are arranged on two-dimensional slices within the body of admissible fiber orientation tensors, visualizing the influence of the orientation tensor on the stiffness tensor. The orientation-dependence of the generalized bulk modulus differs significantly between selected homogenizations. Restrictions on the effective anisotropic material response caused by orthotropy of closure approximations are discussed. [Display omitted] • Fiber orientation distributions of sheet molding compound are approximately planar. • Orientation averaging mean field: Complete orientation dependence for the planar case. • Explicit linear representation of the Advani–Tucker orientation average. • New numeric formulation of the Advani–Tucker orientation average for the planar case. • Orientation averaging in stiffness or compliance domain affects generalized bulk modulus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Hashin–Shtrikman bounds of aggregates of cubic crystals are explicitly represented in terms of tensorial texture coefficients. The formula is valid for arbitrary crystallographic textures and isotropic two-point statistics. The isotropy of the two-point statistics implies that the grain shape is isotropic on average. The new explicit representation has the advantage that the set of energetically admissible crystallographic textures and corresponding effective linear elastic properties can be directly determined and analyzed based on minimum principles of the elastic strain energy density. It is shown that all energetically admissible textures with maximum anisotropy have an effective elastic behavior with cubic sample symmetry. Furthermore, it is proven that there exist texture states without maximum anisotropy which have the extreme elastic properties peculiar to states with maximum anisotropy. This is an important result for the design of elastic material properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A gradient crystal plasticity theory is presented including a defect energy based on the gradient of an equivalent plastic strain measure. Preserving the single crystal slip kinematics, the gradient hardening contribution models dislocation long range interactions adding a back-stress term to the flow rule, similar to other gradient crystal plasticity theories. Owing to a reduced number of four nodal degrees of freedom the finite element implementation can handle systems consisting of an increased number of grains (compared to other theories) without elaborate or costly computer systems. Emphasis is put on the enhancement of the power law material subroutine. The associated implicit Euler scheme is optimized based on an improved starting value for the Newton scheme. Three-dimensional simulations illustrate that the proposed algorithm facilitates significantly larger time steps compared to the standard Newton scheme. (© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The fracture toughness of silicon nitride ceramics is closely related to its microstructure, which is characterized by a bimodal distribution of partially large and elongated grains. In the first stage of fracture, these grains act as elastic bridges, which avoid a quick crack propagation. In order to improve the understanding of this R-curve effect, a unit cell approach for multiscale finite element simulation has been chosen. For the examination of the morphology influence on fracture stress and toughness unit cells with different mean aspect ratios have been utilized for the fracture simulations. As results, on the one hand effective stress–strain curves have been applied for the computation of the effective R-curves. On the other hand, these results have been compared with observations of the stress and strain fields on the local level. Findings on the local level support the concept of elastic bridging grains. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Based on two artificial microstructures representing a long fiber reinforced thermoset material, the effective linear elastic material properties are calculated by both a mean and a full field homogenization method. Concerning the mean field method, the effective elastic material properties are approximated using the homogenization scheme by Mori and Tanaka, formulated explicitly in terms of orientation averages. This allows to use orienation tensors of 2nd and 4th order describing the orientation information on the micro level. The full field method is based on the fast Fourier transformation (FFT), for which the effective material properties are determined by volume averaging. The comparison between both methods show good agreements, the deviations are in the range between 2% and 12%. (© 2017 Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a chosen combination of materials for a multiphase polycrystalline composite, a crystallite orientation distribution function for each phase is formulated as a superposition of analytic central model von Mises-Fisher functions. The chosen central model functions allow the analytic integration of orientation averages of arbitrarily anisotropic fourth-order tensors. Based on this result, the first-order bounds of Voigt and Reuss and the geometric average of the stiffness can be expressed explicitly in closed forms for arbitrarily anisotropic polycrystalline materials and number of phases depending on the volume fractions and the influence of the crystallographic texture of each constituent. These expressions can then be used for the materials design aiming the determination of volume fractions and orientation distribution of selected materials for prescribed effective properties. (© 2015 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An incremental homogenization scheme for the prediction of elastic properties of composites is reviewed. Similar to the differential scheme, the inclusions are included step-by-step. This approach accounts for high volume fractions of inclusion of different shape and elastic properties. A numerical example for a composite consisting of a polymeric matrix, glass fibers and voids is shown. The fiber distribution is chosen equivalently to a distribution in an injection molded short-fiber reinforced composite. The volume fraction of the voids is varied. (© 2014 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For crystal aggregates, the orientation distribution of single crystals affects the anisotropic linear elastic properties. In the singular approximation for cubic materials, this influence is reflected by a fourth-order texture coefficient. From this approximation, the statistical bounds of Voigt, Reuss and Hashin-Shtrikman, and an isotropically self-consistent singular approximation can be obtained. Here, an approximation is called isotropically self-consistent, if, for a vanishing texture, it results in the isotropic self-consistent approximation. The isotropically self-consistent singular approximation has the following advantages: i) it lies between the bounds of Voigt, Reuss and Hashin-Shtrikman, ii) it offers a useful approximation of the effective material behavior of textured anisotropic polycrystals, and iii) it can be used for material design purposes tailoring anisotropic properties mainly depending on the crystallographic texture. (© 2014 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the microstructure of short fiber reinforced composites is inhomogeneous, the application of micromechanical models is useful, that take into account their characteristics like the fiber orientation and the aspect ratio of fibers. Two different methods are considered in this work: A two-step approach is utilized to get approximately the upper and lower bounds of the elastic properties. Furthermore, an approximation for the elastic properties is calculated by the self-consistence method. Both methods use discretely microstructural information including the length, the diameter and the orientation of each single fiber. (© 2013 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel closure approximation method for fiber orientation tensors is proposed namely the fully symmetric implicit closure. Besides the full index symmetry, implicitly formulated closures based on the contraction condition fulfill the trace condition and the trace-preserving property of the Folgar–Tucker equation. As a first example, the fully symmetric implicit quadratic closure is considered as a simple modification of a recently proposed symmetric quadratic closure. It is shown that this closure can be realized by a fiber orientation distribution function. Secondly, the fully symmetric implicit hybrid closure is proposed as a counter-example of a closure not being based on a orientation distribution function. Both closures are compared against classical approximations in view of orientation evolution in a simple shear flow. Furthermore, the capability of predicting the effective viscous and elastic behavior of fiber suspensions and solid composites is investigated for a given fiber orientation state. The results show that the proposed implicit closures can be used to approximate the maximum entropy closure. Thereby, both the quadratic and the hybrid approach alleviate the high computational burden of the maximum entropy closure, as their evaluation requires solving a one-dimensional problem only. In addition, the predicted effective behavior based on the implicit closures shows an overall good agreement with predictions based on measured orientation data. • A novel implicit closure approach for fiber orientation tensors is proposed. • By considering full index symmetry, all necessary algebraic properties are fulfilled. • The considered closures can be reduced to an efficiently solvable 1D formulation. • The closures show a reliable prediction of effective viscous and elastic properties. • The closures considered are efficient maximum entropy approximations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main contribution of this work lies in the detailed comparison of the predictions of linear elastic properties of mean field homogenization approaches and full field, voxel-based homogenization methods for short-fiber reinforced materials. In the former case, the self-consistent, the interaction direct derivative and a two-step-bounding approach, applying the Hashin–Shtrikman bounds, are used. In the latter case, the boundary value problem for representative volume elements is solved using fast Fourier transformation. Model microstructures with unidirectional aligned and two misaligned fiber configurations are considered exemplarily. Fiber volume fractions of 13%, 17% and 21% and phase contrasts of 44, 100 and 1000 in the elastic moduli have been taken into account. The different homogenization schemes are compared by means of effective directional dependent Young’s modulus. This detailed comparison shows that mean field and full field solutions deliver similar results for moderate phase contrasts and volume fractions. Especially in the range of realistic phase contrasts like 44 for a composite of polypropylene and glass, the mean field approaches pose reliable alternatives for full field solution. Large phase contrasts result in relative deviations of up to 68%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We used standard strain gage methods to measure the anisotropic elastic constants for a sample of pyrolytic carbon. The in-plane elastic modulus exhibits significant tension–compression anisotropy −30.2GPa in tension and 18.8GPa in compression. The out-of-plane compressive modulus is 5.2GPa and the Poisson’s ratios are ν 12 =0.35 (compression), ν 23 =0.16 (tension), 0.22 (compression), and ν 21 =0.97 (tension). The tension–compression anisotropy is attributed to buckling, puckering, or bending of the graphene sheets in compression versus simple stretching in tension. The in-plane to out-of-plane anisotropy is expected from the microstructural anisotropy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Sheet molding compound composites exhibit an inherent three-scale structure. • Exact closure approximation allows for accurate microstructure reconstruction. • Quasi-random orientation sampling improves accuracy of generated microstructures. • Fast and robust generation of unit cells based on random sequential addition. • Sensitivity analyses of effective composite stiffness w.r.t. material parameters. Sheet molding compound (SMC) composites combine high lightweight potential with excellent formability and are frequently used in industrial applications. To reduce safety factors in dimensioning SMC parts, the influence of processing parameters and stochastic variation of microstructural and physical properties needs to be quantified accurately. Taking into account the inherent three-scale structure of SMC, we improve the microstructure generator of Chen et al. [Compos. Struct. 188, pp. 25–38, 2018] in various respects. Firstly, we consistently rely upon state-of-the-art closure approximations for the fourth order fiber orientation tensor. More precisely, we show that for a planar fiber orientation state, there is an explicit formula for the fast exact closure approximation of Montgomery-Smith et al. [J. Fluid Mech. 680, pp. 321–335, 2011]. Secondly, we exploit the use of quasi-random numbers in sampling the fiber orientation distribution, leading to dramatic improvements in accuracy compared to pseudo-random Monte Carlo sampling. Last but not least, we rely upon fast Fourier transform based methods for rapid computational homogenization. With these methodological improvements at hand, we thoroughly investigate the influence of the mechanical and microstructural parameters on the effective elastic properties of SMC composites, and compare the results to direct numerical simulations on large scale digital volume images and mean-field estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]