A strain energy model for the prediction of the effective coefficient of thermal expansion of composite materials

• Published in: Computational materials science 2012-02, Vol.53 (1), p.241-250
• Main Authors: Xu, Yingjie, Zhang, Weihong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Boundary conditions; Coefficient of thermal expansion; Composite material; Composite materials; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Equivalence; Exact sciences and technology; Exact solutions; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Microstructure; Microstructure modeling; Numerical prediction; Physics; Strain; Strain energy; Thermal expansion; Thermal expansion; thermomechanical effects and density; Thermal properties of condensed matter; Thermal properties of crystalline solids
• ISSN: 0927-0256; 1879-0801
• DOI: 10.1016/j.commatsci.2011.08.013

► A strain energy model is proposed to predict the CTEs of composites. ► This model is efficient in numerical implementation compared with homogenization method. ► Closed-form expression between CTEs and elastic tensors can be obtained explicitly by the model. In this paper, a strain energy model is developed for the prediction of the effective coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of composite materials. This model is based on the relationship established between the strain energy of the microstructure and that of the homogenized equivalent model under specific thermo-elastic boundary conditions. Expressions in closed-form are derived for the effective CTE in terms of the strain energy and effective elastic tensor. Different kinds of composites are tested to validate the model. Representative unit cells with specific boundary conditions are used to evaluate effective CTEs that are compared with available results obtained numerically and experimentally.