On the integral representation formula for a two-component elastic composite

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to derive, in the Hilbert space setting, an integral representation formula for the effective elasticity tensor for a two-component composite of elastic materials, not necessarily well-ordered. This integral representation formula implies a relation which links the effective elastic moduli to the N-point correlation functions of the microstructure. Such relation not only facilitates a powerful scheme for systematic incorporation of microstructural information into bounds on the effective elastic moduli but also provides a theoretical foundation for inverse-homogenization. The analysis presented in this paper can be generalized to an n-component composite of elastic materials. The relations developed here can be applied to the inverse-homogenization for a special class of linear viscoelastic composites. The results will be presented in another paper. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.