Homogenization and computational methods for calculating effective properties of some cellular solids and composite str uctures

Abstract

In this thesis we discuss, develop and apply homogenization and numerical methods for determining effective thermal and stiffness properties of some cellular solids and composite structures. In particular we study and develop improved formulae for rectangular and hexagonal honeycomb structures. This is done mainly by using the homogenization method but also by utilizing some tools from discrete network analysis. The new formulae are compared with other available formulae used for this type of problems. The effective properties of the structures are compared with existing bounds of Hashin-Shtrikman type. We also develop and apply a general algorithm for numerical computation of effective elastic moduli of periodic structures. In addition we consider numerical methods for estimating effective properties of some multiscaled material-structures and structures with randomly distributed inclusions. The thesis contains a collection of papers with the disputant as author or coauthor. Moreover, for the readers convenience these papers are fitted to the general theory and glued together in an introductory part of independent interest.