Multiscale 3D finite element analysis of aluminum matrix composites with nano&micro hybrid inclusions

The present work proposed a multiscale finite element (FE) analytical approach to investigate the mechanical behavior of elasto-plastic aluminum matrix composites reinforced with nano-micro hybrid inclusions. To study the effect of microstructural effects, 3D representative volume elements (RVEs) of nano- and micro-scales are established, where the nano-RVE considers the aluminum matrix with carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-reinforcement whose homogenization is treated as the equivalent matrix (EM) phase for micro-RVE with SiC particles. The FE-based ABAQUS simulation is employed to recover the local stress distributions within RVE of either scales, and the corresponding effective stress–strain relationship, damage and failure behavior are calculated and predicted. Results generated from the present simulations are validated against the experimental measurement of CNTs/SiC/Al composites and good agreement is generally obtained. What's more, several microstructural parameters are tested on the composites’ effective behavior, including the elaso-plastic constitutive relation and damage response of aluminum matrix, the elastic-brittle failure mechanical behavior of the micro-scale SiC particles. We also consider the traction-separation mechanical behavior at the SiC-Al interface. It is demonstrated that the present numerical method is suitable to study the comprehensive behavior of composites with hybrid inclusions.