A recurrent neural network-accelerated multi-scale model for elasto-plastic heterogeneous materials subjected to random cyclic and non-proportional loading paths

Abstract

An artificial Neural Network (NNW) is designed to serve as a surrogate model of micro-scale simulations in the context of multi-scale analyses in solid mechanics.The design and training methodologies of the NNW are developed in order to allow accounting for history-dependent material behaviors. On the one hand, a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) using a Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) is constructed, which allows mimicking the internal variables required to account for history-dependent behaviors since the RNN is self-equipped with hidden variables that have the ability of tracking loading history. On the other hand, in order to achieve accuracy under multi-dimensional non-proportional loading conditions, training of the RNN is achieved using sequential data. In particular the sequential training data are collected from finite element simulations on an elasto-plastic composite RVE subjected to random loading paths. The random loading paths are generated in a way similar to a random walking in stochastic process and allow generating data for a wide range of strain-stress states and state evolution.The accuracy and efficiency of the RNN-based surrogate model is tested on the structural analysis of an open-hole sample subjected to several loading/unloading cycles. It is shown that a similar accuracy as with a FE2 multi-scale simulation can be reached with the RNN-based surrogate model as long as the local strain state remains in the training range, while the computational time is reduced by four orders of magnitude.