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Author
Snyder, K. A. | Garboczi, E. J. | Day, A. R.
Title
Elastic Moduli of Simple Two-Dimensional Isotropic Composites: Computer Simulation and Effective Medium Theory.
Coporate
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD Marquette Univ., Milwaukee, WI
Journal
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 72, No. 12, 5948-5955, December 15, 1992
Keywords
elastic moduli | composite materials | simulation | algorithms
Abstract
An algorithm, combining digital-image with spring network techniques, has been developed that enables computation of the elastic moduli of random two-dimensional multiphase composites. This algorithm is used to study the case of isotropic, randomly centered, overlapping circular inclusions in an isotropic elastic matrix. The results of the algorithm for the few-inclusion limit, as well as the case where both phases have the same shear moduli, agree well with the results for these two problems. The case where the two phases have the same Poisson's ratio, but different Young's moduli, is also studied, and it is shown that the effective medium theory developed by Thorpe and Sen agrees well with the numerical results. A surprising result is that the effective moduli of systems with nonoverlapping circular inclusions are almost identical with the overlaping inclusion case, up to an inclusion area fraction of 50%.