This work is focused on the prediction of elastic behavior of short-fiber reinforced composites by mean-field homogenization methods, which account for experimentally determined and artificially constructed microstructure data in discrete and averaged form. The predictions are compared with experimental measurements and a full-field voxel-based approach. It is investigated, whether the second-order orientation tensor delivers a sufficient microstructure description for such predictions.

Summary: A Generalized Multiscale Analysis Approach brings together comprehensive background information on the multiscale nature of the composite, constituent material behaviour, damage models and key techniques for multiscale modelling, as well as presenting the findings and methods, developed over a lifetime's research, of three leading experts in the field. The unified approach presented in the book for conducting multiscale analysis and design of conventional and smart composite materials is also applicable for structures with complete linear and nonlinear material behavior, with numerous applications provided to illustrate use. Modeling composite behaviour is a key challenge in research and industry; when done efficiently and reliably it can save money, decrease time to market with new innovations and prevent component failure.

Multi-scale modelling of composites is a very relevant topic in composites science. This is illustrated by the numerous sessions in the recent European and International Conferences on Composite Materials, but also by the fast developments in multi-scale modelling software tools, developed by large industrial players such as Siemens (Virtual Material Characterization toolkit and MultiMechanics virtual testing software), MSC/e-Xstream (Digimat software), Simulia (micromechanics plug-in in Abaqus), HyperSizer (Multi-scale design of composites), Altair (Altair Multiscale Designer) This book is intended to be an ideal reference on the latest advances in multi-scale modelling of fibre-reinforced polymer composites, that is accessible for both (young) researchers and end users of modelling software. We target three main groups: This book aims at a complete introduction and overview of the state-of-the-art in multi-scale modelling of composites in three axes: • ranging from prediction of homogenized elastic properties to nonlinear material behaviour • ranging from geometrical models for random packing of unidirectional fibres over meso-scale geometries for textile composites to orientation tensors for short fibre composites • ranging from damage modelling of unidirectionally reinforced composites over textile composites to short fibre-reinforced composites The book covers the three most important scales in multi-scale modelling of composites: (i) micro-scale, (ii) meso-scale and (iii) macro-scale. The nano-scale and related atomistic and molecular modelling approaches are deliberately excluded, since the book wants to focus on continuum mechanics and there are already a lot of dedicated books about polymer nanocomposites. A strong focus is put on physics-based damage modelling, in the sense that the chapters devote attention to modelling the different damage mechanisms (matrix cracking, fibre/matrix debonding, delamination, fibre fracture,...) in such a way that the underlying physics of the initiation and growth of these damage modes is respected. The book also gives room to not only discuss the finite element based approaches for multi-scale modelling, but also much faster methods that are popular in industrial software, such as Mean Field Homogenization methods (based on Mori-Tanaka and Eshelby solutions) and variational methods (shear lag theory and more advanced theories). Since the book targets a wide audience, the focus is put on the most common numerical approaches that are used in multi-scale modelling. Very specialized numerical methods like peridynamics modelling, Material Point Method, eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM), isogeometric analysis, SPH (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics),... are excluded. Outline of the book The book is divided in three large parts, well balanced with each a similar number of chapters: