Multi-Scale Modeling of Heterogeneous Materials and the Validation Challenge

Abstract

This paper considers multi-scale modeling strategies for heterogeneous materials while also highlighting the problems of determining experimentally the micro-scale properties and validating such techniques. Multi-scale modeling techniques enable us to capture the influence of (evolving) heterogeneous material microstructures on the overall macroscopic behavior. This paper discusses computational multi-scale modeling techniques for problems both with and without poor scale separation. In developing these powerful multi-scale modeling techniques, the obvious challenge of validating both the material behavior at multiple scales and the associated scale transition methodologies, using advances in material characterization and experimental mechanics, comes into sharp focus and this will be briefly explored here.