Surface effects in composite materials: Two simple examples (Q1083281)

It is well known that the local fields near the boundaries of composites are dissimilar to those existing within the bulk composite. Among all the methods used to study this area, the homogenization process for periodic structures gives the more accurate results, when it plays; but the method is in general heavy and so the main facts cannot be pointed out in a simple manner. The aim of the paper is to present two simple examples where analytical results are available almost right to the end. By using the homogenization process for periodic structures, macroscopic and local fields in a bilaminated composite are determined for two macroscopic boundary value problems: a percolation through a porous composite and a compression of an elastic composite. It is shown that the local fields obtained from the process and valid within the composite must be complemented by boundary layers along its boundaries. Because of these boundary layers, surface effects appear. For the simple compression test applied to an elastic composite, stresses can be infinite at the boundary, so that two modes of failure are predicted: a failure in the bulk material and a failure due to the boundary (surface effect). The first one can be macroscopically studied by using the concepts of the mechanics of continuous media. It is not possible for the second one.