LAUSR

Abstract In the present study, finite element- and representative volume element (RVE)-based models for estimation of the effective elastic, thermal, and thermoelastic properties of the multi-phase spatially graded particulate composites have been developed. Efficient particle packing algorithms were utilized to create high-resolution graded microstructures with spatial (more than one direction) variation of the composites’ constituents. The so-called continuously graded RVEs were generated and accounted for spatially continuously graded microstructures. Numerical homogenization of these RVEs enabled to preserve the influence of the particle interactions resulting from continuous grading. The developed models were verified by comparing the predicted effective properties to those obtained using the previously existed models and were validated using available experimental data.