Quantifying the effects of particle spatial distribution in random thermoelastic composites – numerical and mean-field analyses

Abstract The effect of spatial distribution of randomly-placed particles in a representative composite volume on the thermoelastic effective properties and local stress and strain distribution is analyzed. Quantitative assessment is performed using both the full-field finite element analyses and the mean-field interaction model, known also as a “cluster” model. The latter model is developed in the multi-family setting enabling one to study the mean stress and strain separately for each inclusion in the representative unit cell. The particles are assumed to be spherical and of equal size, while considered examples differ by the volume fraction of inclusions and the particle spatial layout, and in particular the mean nearest-neighbour distances.