A new energy-based effective strain theory for mechanical properties of multiphase composites

Abstract

In this study, the energy-based effective strain method is proposed to better exhibit the energy stored in the three-phase composites by replacing average strain utilized in most analytical methods with an effective strain assessment. The overall composite materials can be treated statistically as a transversely isotropic solid for the case of aligned ellipsoidal inclusions, or as an isotropic solid for the case of randomly oriented inclusions. The paper aims to predict mechanical properties of spheroidal particle-reinforced composites using a new model considering effect of the interphase between particles and matrix. Either hard or soft interphases surrounding the fillers are taken into account for analyzing the effective properties of composites. The current methodology is generally extended to the case of composites containing multiple types of inclusions. The effects of the particle shape/size and the interphase thickness on effective elastic moduli are analyzed. The obtained solutions are shown to agree well with the experimental data.