Parametric Variational Principle for Bi-Modulus Materials and Its Application to Nacreous Bio-Composites

Abstract

Bi-modulus materials have different moduli in tension and compression and the stress–strain relation depends on principal stress that is unknown before displacement is determined. Establishment of variational principle is important for mechanical analysis of materials. First, parametric variational principle (PVP) is proposed for static analysis of bi-modulus materials and structures. A parametric variable indicating state of principal stress is included in the potential energy formulation and the nonlinear stress–strain relation is evolved into a linear complementarity constraint. Convergence of finite element analysis is thus improved. Then the proposed variational principle is extended to a dynamic problem and the dynamic equation can be derived based on Hamilton’s principle. Finite element analysis of nacreous bio-composites is performed, in which a unilateral contact behavior between two hard mineral bricks is modeled using the bi-modulus stress–strain relation. Effective modulus of composites can be determined numerically and stress mechanism of “tension–shear chain” in nacre is revealed. A delayed effect on stress propagation is found around the “gaps” between mineral bricks, when a tension force is loaded to nacreous bio-composites dynamically.