Homogenization methods for multi-phase elastic composites

Comparisons and benchmarks

Abstract

Usually homogenization methods are investigated regarding the volume fraction of the inclusion. In this paper classical homogenization methods are recalled and compared on the basis of the contrast in the elastic properties of the constituents. This has a significant influence on the accuracy of the homogenization method. In addition two relatively new approaches, the ESCS and IDD method, are introduced and compared to more standard homogenization approaches. The analysis of these methods shows that the IDD method is an improvement due to its simple but universally applicable structure. A number of comparisons of these and other analytical approaches are carried out with the corresponding finite element results.