Determination of the size of the representative volume element for random quasi-brittle composites

Céline Pélissou (1, 2) , Jean Baccou (1) , Yann Monerie (1, 2) , Frédéric Perales (1, 2)

1 IRSN - Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire
2 MIST - Laboratoire de micromécanique et intégrité des structures

A representative volume element (RVE) is related to the domain size of a microstructure providing a ''good" statistical representation of typical material properties. The size of an RVE for the class of quasi-brittle random heterogeneous materials under dynamic loading is one of the major questions to be answered in this paper. A new statistical strategy is thus proposed for the RVE size determination. The microstructure illustrating the methodology of the RVE size determination is a metal matrix composite with randomly distributed aligned brittle inclusions: the hydrided Zircaloy constituting nuclear clad-dings. For a given volume fraction of inclusions, the periodic RVE size is found in the case of overall elastic properties and of overall fracture energy. In the latter case, the term ''representative" is discussed since the fracture tends to localize. A correlation factor between the ''elastic" RVE and the ''fracture" RVE is discussed.

Mots clés: RVE size; Heterogeneous quasi-brittle material; Fracture energy; Periodic homogenization; Statistical approach

Domaines: Mécanique des solides [physics.class-ph]

Céline Pélissou, Jean Baccou, Yann Monerie, Frédéric Perales. Determination of the size of the representative volume element for random quasi-brittle composites. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 2009, 46 (14-15), pp.2842-2855. ⟨10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2009.03.015⟩. ⟨hal-02095427⟩