Multiresolution modeling of ductile reinforced brittle composites

Cahal McVeigh, Wing Kam Liu*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

41 Scopus citations

Abstract

Tungsten carbide-cobalt (WC-Co) is an important ductile reinforced brittle composite used in a range of important applications. The relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties of WC-Co is truly multiscale; micromechanical processes interact at different scales, resulting in permanent plastic deformation, damage accumulation and final failure of the composite. The goal of the current paper is to develop a continuum-based model, which captures the progressively finer scales of strain localization observed in WC-Co composites during plastic deformation and failure. This is achieved via a set of multiresolution governing equations; a microstress is introduced at each scale of strain localization, which represents the resistance to inhomogeneous strain localization at that scale. The extra constitutive models associated with these microstresses can be elucidated from the average response of separate computational cell models of a representative microstructure. The final multiresolution continuum model is capable of capturing the important length scales of deformation during the plastic stage of deformation without resorting to modeling microstructural scale features directly. The result is a more realistic continuum model; in particular the fracture toughness prediction is more physical when these length scales are incorporated compared to a conventional continuum approach.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)244-267
Number of pages24
JournalJournal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids
Volume57
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2009

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support provided by the ONR D3D digital modeling consortium, National Science Foundation and Department of Energy (Sandia National Lab, and Oak Ridge National Lab (Subcontract from Mississippi State University)).

Keywords

  • Finite elements
  • Fracture toughness
  • Inhomogeneous material
  • Microstructures
  • Tungsten carbide-cobalt

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Mechanical Engineering

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Multiresolution modeling of ductile reinforced brittle composites'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this