Adaptive Affine Homogenization Method for Visco-hyperelastic Composites with Interfacial Damage

Despite intense research on the homogenization methods, it still is a challenging task to predict the nonlinear mechanical responses of visco-hyperelastic particulate-reinforced composites. In this work, we propose the adaptive affine method, a novel mean-field homogenization method designed to ensure the consistency of the accumulated strain state and the concentration tensor, and apply the method to predict the mechanical response of the composite in the large strain regime under uniaxial, cyclic, and bi-axial loadings. Our method is also extended to predict the mechanical response in the presence of interfacial imperfections described by linear cohesive traction-separation laws. The analytic predictions are validated against finite element analyses of representative volume elements. We believe that our adaptive affine method can be extended to model various nonlinear responses of load-bearing composites including the effects of (visco)plasticity and finite deformation.

Metallic reinforcements role on aluminum silicon composites wear behavior

This study is concerned with the influence of four metallic reinforcements on aluminum-silicon (AlSi) composites, with respect to wear behavior. AlSi-Ti; AlSi-Ti6Al4V; AlSi-1.4301 stainless steel and AlSi-Ni particulate reinforced composites were produced by a hot-pressing route. Microstructural characterization showed a uniform distribution of the reinforcing particles in the AlSi matrix. Reciprocating pin-on-plate wear tests were performed for AlSi and AlSi-based composites against gray cast iron plates. In order to compare the effect of different metallic particulates on the AlSi-based composites/gray cast iron tribopair wear performance, besides the pin, the counterface was also analyzed. The particle/matrix interface is analyzed in order to understand its influence on the tribopair behavior and on the controlling wear mechanisms. It was shown that the better compromise between both sliding surfaces performance was attained by AlSi-Ni/gray cast iron tribopair.