Mesoscale Modeling of damageable materials and indentation-based material characterization using shape meta modeling

(1) The mechanical and transport properties of cementitious composites using a realistic morphological 3D matrix-inclusion-ITZ model for the mesoscale behavior will be discussed. Assuming a compression damaged plasticity-based behavior for the matrix phase under quasi-static loading, the model is used to determine the effect of inclusion (aggregate) shape, volume fraction and segregation on the mechanical response of the composite specimen under uniaxial loading. 

(2) The conventional approach for the identification of the work hardening properties of a material by an indentation test usually relies on the force–displacement curve. However, finite element modeling of the indenter–specimen system is a complex task, and the unicity of the solution to the inverse problem of identifying material parameters using the force–displacement curve is not always guaranteed. Also, the precise measurement of the displacement of the indenter tip requires the determination of the indenter frame compliance and indenter tip deformation. To alleviate these problems, we propose an approach based solely on the 3D indentation imprint shape measured after indenter withdrawal, rather than relying on the minimization of the pointwise discrepancy between the experimental and simulated indentation curve. 

All interested are invited
Dr. Łukasz Kurpaska