Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg.

183 (2000) 309330

www.elsevier.com/locate/cma

FE2 multiscale approach for modelling the elastoviscoplastic

behaviour of long bre SiC/Ti composite materials
Frederic Feyel, Jean-Louis Chaboche *
ONERA DMSELCME, 29 Avenue de la Division Leclerc, F-92320, Ch^
atillon, France
Received 17 April 1998

Abstract

This paper discusses modelling of the behaviour of structures reinforced by long bre SiC/Ti composite material with a periodic
microstructure. A new multiscale behaviour model based on a multilevel nite element (FE2 ) approach is used to take into account
heterogeneities in the behaviour between the bre and matrix. It is shown that combining this model with parallel computation
techniques now makes it possible to consider realistic composite structural computations yielding a detailed geometric description and
constitutive equations giving access to microstructural data, instead of only to phenomenological macroscopic data dicult to cor-
relate with the local mechanical state. 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction

1.1. SiC/Ti materials

To improve aeronautical turbomachines, it is necessary to increase the thrust-to-weight ratio. Two

approaches are currently under study: for a given weight, increase the thrust (operating temperature) by a
better knowledge of the thermodynamics; for a given thrust, decrease the weight by using new materials
with high temperature resistance. This second approach involves research on composite parts including a
fraction of reinforcement in a matrix in various ways.
Long bre SiC/Ti materials have been developed on this principle. The SiC bres are ordered periodi-
cally in a titanium matrix. A distinction is made between the macroscopic scale of the structure studied and
the microscopic scale of an elementary cell containing a bre embedded in the matrix.

1.2. Modelling the behaviour of these materials

Strictly speaking, the nite element analysis of such structures requires a discretisation at least as ne as
the size of the heterogeneities (bre). This is still impossible because of prohibitive memory space and CPU
time requirements. Two approaches are used for modelling such materials:
The phenomenological approach is used to obtain a constitutive equation for the volume element from
experimental observations. Because of the particular microstructure of the SiC/Ti composite, this
approach is based on a model of the bre and matrix behaviour associated with homogenisation and
averaging rules. A distinction can be made between two types of phenomenological models:
 Those which are merely extensions to the anisotropic case of conventional models (such as Hill's
criterion)

*
Corresponding author.

0045-7825/00/$ - see front matter 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 0 4 5 - 7 8 2 5 ( 9 9 ) 0 0 2 2 4 - 8
310 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330

 Those which are based on microscopic/macroscopic scale transition. Mathematical equations describe
the behaviour of a number of microscopic `phases', and the macroscopic behaviour of the volume el-
ement is obtained by applying more or less complex averaging process to these equations. Such models
provide more information than strictly macroscopic plasticity models since they include the concept of
phases (various constituents) and the associated behaviour.
The main diculty is due to the requirement for making certain assumptions, which decreases the scope of
such models. For instance, they are unable to account in detail for the microscopic interactions between
bre and matrix, although it is known that the debonding which occurs on the bre/matrix interface
modies the response of the volume element. Phenomenological models account for debonding via a
mesoscopic damage variable representing the average damage on the entire interface. The advantage of
such models is that they can easily be integrated in traditional non-linear nite element computation codes
and are numerically low cost to use.
A `simple' way of overcoming the above problems is to use a multilevel nite element approach, whereby
the behaviour of each volume element results from a nite element computation of the microscopic
fibre matrix structure.
Both approaches are used at ONERA [5,10], but here we only discuss the second.
In Section 2, we give a methodological description of the FE2 model. In Section 3, we discuss its im-
plementation and the requirement for using parallel computing technics. Section 4 gives examples of
simulations.

2. FE2 methodologies

This new type of model falls within the general category of multiscale models. The constitutive equations
are written only on microscopic scale and homogenisation and localisation equations are used to compute
the macroscopic strains E and stresses R knowing the mechanical state at microscopic level. One of the
 
classical problems with this type of approach is to choose the microscopic scale to be considered. Although
the bres themselves are multilayer composite materials (see Fig. 1), we assumed them to be homogeneous
for this study and chose the basic fibre matrix pattern as microscopic scale. However, this hypothesis is
not too restrictive, since microstructural observations have shown that the bre is only slightly deformed
and remains elastic. A more detailed analysis would involve the characteristics of each layer, which are not
accessible.
Until now, the behaviour model of the microscopic scale has remained phenomenological (polycrys-
talline model). The equations used to go from one scale to another were based on the self-consistent scheme
or one of its derivatives. These models are satisfactory when applied to materials with a random micro-
structure such as metal polycrystals, but are unsuitable for our work, because of the completely ordered
microstructure, which is not consistent with the self-consistent framework.

Fig. 1. Microstructure of an SiC bre.

 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330 311

We approached the local behaviour of the bre/matrix microstructure by a nite element computation
on a basic cell. The scale transition equations are given for instance by the periodic homogenization theory
(due to the quasi-periodic distribution of bres, see Fig. 2). It is also possible to use another scale transitions
rules: stress/strain homogeneous on the contour.

2.1. Elements of the periodic homogenisation theory

We will not go into detail on this theory but recall the main results useful for writing our scale transition
equations.
The periodic homogenisation theory attempts to characterise the behaviour of a volume element (R $ E
 
equation) assumed to contain an innite number (actually a large number) of basic patterns ordered
periodically in space from the behaviour of one elementary pattern (r $ e equation).
 
It can be demonstrated that the scales are separate if the number of patterns is innite. The microscopic
displacement can be written as the sum of a periodic eld and a macroscopic eld (x denotes a local ref-
erence on a cell and E a macroscopic strain tensor).


ux vx E x; 1


where v is a periodic eld with the period of the basic cell. The localisation and homogenisation equations
are obtained by averaging:
Z
1
hf i f dv;
V V
R hri;
 

E he i: 2
 

There are therefore two fourth-order tensors A and B which ensure localisation of the stresses and
 
strains respectively:

r AR;
 

e BE : 3
 

Because of Eq. (2), both these tensors must have an average of identity:
hAi hB i 1:
  

Fig. 2. Periodic microstructure of an SiC/Ti composite.

312 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330

2.2. The FE2 model

With these properties, the FE2 model associates E with R by the following algorithm:
 
Localisation of E ;

nite element computation of the strain and stress state of the elementary cell;
homogenisation of r : R hricell .
  
The rst step requires some clarication. The aim is not to calculate tensor eld A explicitly, but to

impose periodicity conditions on the basic cell, i.e. impose equal displacement conditions within a strain
tensor E on the opposite edges of the cell (Fig. 3), i.e.


ux ux0 E x x0 ; 4


where x and x0 denote opposite sides by pairs (for a rectangular pattern). This amounts to adding linear
equations between unknowns to the linearised tangent system. This equality results directly from applying
Eq. 1 to two similar points on opposite sites:
)
u E x vx

) u u0 E x x0 vx vx0 : 5
u0 E x0 vx0  |{z}

0Periodicity

It should be noted that implementation of this method can be validated by calculating the localisation
tensors A and B once the mechanical state of the cell is known (step 2). Fig. 4 shows the schematic diagram
 
of operation of the model.
A few years ago, Renard [11] described the start of a similar approach. However, it was limited to the
case of torsion/shear elasticity and involved the cell only as a way of calculating the elasticity constants
representing an orthotropic material each time step [11].
Our approach attempts to be more general. The aim is not to calculate elasticity constants (in our ap-
plications, we assume the matrix to be elastoviscoplastic, but any constitutive equation can be suitable), but
to solve the complete homogenisation problem for each load increment. Note that this approach does not
involve particular scale transition rules (it can be used with any of them) and that it remain possible to use
dierent continuum media for both macroscopic and microscopic scale, allowing to take in account size
eect, mechanical gradient, etc.

Fig. 3. Periodicity conditions: notations.

 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330 313

Fig. 4. Schematic diagram of the FE2 model.

3. Implementation

This model has been implemented in the ZeBuLoN 7 computation code developed by the Materials
Centre of the Ecole des Mines de Paris and ONERA. This section describes a few features of the code which
allow the FE2 model to exist and be suitable for realistic structural computations.

3.1. Multilevel nite elements principle

For numerical specialists, the FE2 model is similar to non-linear models with a large number of internal
variables, such as the polycrystalline model. However, unlike the latter, which uses a Runge-Kutta method
for solving a non-linear system with several thousand internal variables, our implementation of the FE2
model is based on interleaved nite element algorithms. It is formally a sequence of NewtonRaphson
algorithms:
macropic scale, global step: NewtonRaphson method;
macropic scale, local step: FE2 constitutive equation;
 micropic scale, global step (fibre matrix cell): NewtonRaphson method;
 micropic scale, local step: phenomenological constitutive equation.
We limited ourselves here to two levels (FE2 ), but nothing except memory space limitations and the
patience of the user prevents using more. The local step of the micropic scale can also use a multiscale
constitutive equation. This would be the case, for instance, if the user decided to model the behaviour of the
polycrystalline titanium of the matrix by a multiscale equation based on nite element computation of an
aggregate (the resulting nanoscopic scale would be represented by a mesh of single crystal grains). Such
modelling is an EF3 scheme, as shown on Fig. 5.

3.2. FE2 Model and parallel computation

The objective of this work is to be able to use the FE2 model for structural computations. Each Gauss
point of the macroscopic mesh requires a nite element computation (that is why it is called FE2 method!).
In spite of the constantly increasing power of workstations (in terms of memory space and speed), this type
of computation is not accessible with a conventional workstation architecture.
It has been shown [6,8] that parallel computers can perform structural computations that are realistic
geometrically (neness of discretisation) and mechanically (constitutive equations with a large number of
internal variables). We also use parallel computation. Parallelisation of the ZeBuLoN code by the FETI
method is independent of the material equations. [6], provided this equation is consistent with the local
state method. The two following subsections briey recall the processing of the two critical steps of a
classical nite element code where the unknowns are the nodal displacements.
314 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330

Fig. 5. EF 3 numerical modelling of SiC/Ti composite structure.

3.2.1. Local stage: integration of FE2 model

Models built according to the local state scheme allow to handle separatly the computation of the global
structure equilibrium (solving of a linear system K q F) and the integration of consitutive equations.

As integration of constitutive equations only requires the knowledge of the internal variables history and
current mechanical state, parallelisation of this local stage is straight forward using domain decomposition
methods. Each subdomain handles only a given part a the mesh.

3.2.2. Global stage: global equilibrium computation

FETI method [2] (this is a domain decomposition method) was used to solve global equilibrium, using
parallel computers. This stage requires a cooperative work between all subdomains.
Let X be a mesh of the structure and Xi a N subdomains partition:
[
N
X Xi :
i1

Let also B i be the restriction operators on Xi .


The problem to be solved is as follows: ``nd the solution of linear system K q F on X, knowing only

elementary matrices K i on each Xi ''.

The FETI method is a dual method, which consists in giving new unknowns: the forces ki to be enforced
on domain boundaries to ensure displacement continuity across sub-domains (primal methods would favor
 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330 315

displacement on boundaries). These forces ki are estimated with an iterative conjugate gradient method. We
have indeed the following equivalence:
8 t
< K i qi F i B
> 
ki ; Local equilibrium of each subdomain Xi ;
K q F () P S 6
 >
: Bi qi 0; Displacement continuity:
i1 

A specic problem is related to the method, as it produces local problems with Neumann boundary
conditions (force imposed conditions). If a sub-domain does not include any boundary where a Dirichlet
(displacement imposed) condition is applied, or if this condition does not lock all the rigid body motions,
the local problem may be ill-conditoned. That means that rigid body motions exist for some subdomains. A
projected conjugate gradient method is then used to solve this problem [7].

3.3. Evaluation of the tangent matrix

The ZeBuLoN code uses a NewtonRaphson method to solve non-linear behaviour problems. To
achieve quadratic convergence (and decrease CPU time), it is necessary to know the tangent matrix of
behaviour during loading
or

K : 7
 oe


Since there is no practical way of calculating this matrix whenever the behaviour of the matrix or bre
becomes non-linear, we approximate K by a perturbation method: when the imposed loading level is

reached at time t, we calculate the structural response for small strain variations de. An approximated

tangent matrix is reconstructed by exciting each of the components of de. Computing tangent matrix this

way requires the solution of four (2D) or six (3D) nite element problems whose cost is not negligible: it can
be more efcient not to use reactualized tangent matrix and to keep the initial elastic tangent matrix during
computation.

3.4. Object-oriented approaches

Independently of the computer architecture, the FE2 model can only be used if the nite element code
supporting it is reentrant, i.e. the code must be able to call itself without having to create any additional
processes. This feature, essential in our case, is dicult or even impossible to achieve in FORTRAN, the
language traditionally used for nite element codes (except by using high-level preprocessors which include
the concept of object). The entire computation code must be able to be considered as an independent object,
containing all the necessary data and the methods used on them. The ZeBuLoN code is object-oriented,
making it more portable and completely independent of message passing libraries in particular [3].

4. Applications

4.1. Volume element

A volume element type computation was performed to test our model. The macroscopic structure (Fig. 6)
consists of a single quadratic plane strain element with reduced integration (eight nodes, four Gauss
points). The boundary conditions are imposed to obtain homogeneous strain and stress elds. A given
pressure is imposed on the upper surface.
Care was taken to preserve all the material symmetries when constructing the mesh. The matrix was
assumed to be titanium at 600C [1], and modelized using an incremental elastoviscoplastic model using an
non-linear isotropic hardening and a non-linear kinematic hardening. This kind of model rests on the state
316 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330

Fig. 6. Mesh and boundary conditions of the volume element test.

variable method introduced in such papers as that by Rice [12]. It has been described in much detail by the
works of Chaboche and Rousselier [4], Lemaitre and Chaboche [9] and others [3].
The bre (percentage by volume 33%) was made of SiC, assumed isotropic and elastic at all tempera-
tures. P was varied linearly from 0 to 750 MPa in 34.5 s. The elds obtained are, as desired, homogeneous
on the four Gauss points.
This example, very simple at macroscopic level, was used to examine the numerical inuence of the
elementary cell mesh on the results and to make a few checks on correct implementation of the FE2 model.

4.1.1. Choice of local mesh

As for any nite element computation, the quality of the solution obtained for the local structure de-
pends to some extent on the neness of the geometric discretisation. Four increasingly ne discretisations
(for a given fraction by volume of bre) were used (Fig. 7 and Table 1) to examine this inuence. The bre
mesh is not a `good' mesh: the elements are quite deformed. These meshes were initially used to minimise
the number of elements while obtaining a more or less ne but regular mesh of the interface. 1
Elastic moduli. It is possible to evaluate the discretisation error by examining the initial stiffness matrix
supplied by the FE2 model. It should theoretically coincide with the homogenised elasticity matrix of the
cell. The cell symmetries associated with the theory of periodic media require the homogenised elasticity to
be orthotropic
0 1 0 10 1
R11 c11 c12 c13 0 E11
B R22 C B c12 c22 c23 0 CB E22 C
B C B CB C
@ R33 A @ c13 c23 c33 0 A@ E33 A: 8
R12 0 0 0 c44 E12

In particular, the rst three coecients of the fourth column and fourth line are zero. The numerical
results obtained for mesh 1 are given below. The cross marks a coecient that is inaccessible because of the
plane strain hypothesis (e33 0; 8r11 )
0 1
147842: 53147:7 51790:5 5:31273
B 53147:7 147842: 51790:5 5:32027 C
B C:
@ 51790:5 51790:5  1487:24 A
5:31273 5:32027 1487:24 83357:2

1
During real structural computations, a ``cleaner'' mesh is used on microscopic scale, with more regular elements.
 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330 317

Fig. 7. The four local meshes used.

Table 1
Number of elements for each mesh of the elementary cell

Mesh 1 2 3 4

Number of elements 266 706 1160 1840

It can be seen that coecients ci4 and c4i , i 6 3, are non-zero because of the discretisation chosen. It is
thus possible to dene a `mesh elastic quality indicator' as follows for the local cell associated with the FE2
model (k is the elasticity matrix approximated by nite elements)

P
2 3i1 ki42
q P3 P 3 2
: 9
j1 i1 kij

Table 2 gives the values of q for four meshes. The ner the mesh, the more q approaches zero.
Viscoplasticity. The inuence of the local mesh on the viscoplastic properties is also non-negligible. Fig. 8
shows the stress/strain curves in direction 2 (loading direction) for the four meshes.
It can be seen that the results vary little once the mesh of the cell is suciently ne and that mesh 1 is
probably too coarse (8% error on the stresses). These results are easily understandable by examining the
isovalue maps of accumulated viscoplastic strain. For greater clarity, only three levels were preserved
318 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330

Table 2
Variations of q according to the local mesh

Mesh 1 2 3 4

q 1:31  104 2:12  107 1:00  108 3:50  1012

Fig. 8. r22 f e22 .

(Fig. 9). Plastication is concentrated in a thin region around the bre/matrix interface and our rst mesh is
too coarse in this area (a single element) to obtain a suciently thin plastic region such as that observed on
meshes 2, 3 and 4. This explains why the viscoplastic strain is underestimated and the stresses overesti-
mated.
As expected, the ner the local mesh, the better the results, for both the elastic and viscoplastic aspects.
Since mesh 1 is denitely too coarse, it is necessary to choose mesh 2, 3 or 4. For reasons of CPU time
(Table 3), mesh 2 is used below. It is not very attractive, but seems to be a good trade-o between memory
occupation, computation speed and quality of the result. The concept of the number of equivalent internal
variables (EIV) can be introduced. It takes into account all the internal variables required for computation
of the cell, the memory space required for solving the local linear system and the memory space required for
the software `overhead' of the FE2 model.

4.1.2. Analysis of the results check of implementation

As desired, the elds obtained are homogeneous on the four Gauss points.
Fig. 10 shows the stress/resulting total strain in direction y for mesh 2. The dotted line was obtained
using a purely phenomenological constitutive equation [10]. The aim is to check that the two models give
the same order of magnitude, which is the case, not to make them coincide.
 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330 319

Fig. 9. Isovalues of cumulated viscoplastic strain for the four meshes.

Table 3
Approximate CPU time and EIVs for the four meshes on a 75 MHz Sparc 20

Mesh 1 2 3 4

CPU time (103 s) 15 48 80 128

EIV (104 ) 32.7 105.3 172.7 273.9

The scale transition rules can be checked for inelastic strain to make sure they are correctly implemented
in the FE2 model. By splitting the strain into an elastic part and an inelastic part, e e e e i , and using the
  
change of scale Eq. (3) and Hill's lemma, it is shown that
D E
t
Ei B ei : 10
 

The above equation is veried from the microscopic fibre matrix pattern, the localisation tensors and
the macroscopic and microscopic mechanical states, known for each integrating point. The error on the
macroscopic inelastic strains remains below 0.1% at the highest loading. This verication obviously proves
nothing from a theoretical standpoint, but serves to show that the programme does not contain any serious
errors.
320 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330

Fig. 10. r22 f e22 .

Fig. 11. Isovalues of cumulated microscopic strain rate at maximum macroscopic loading.

One of the advantages of the FE2 model is to give access to microstructural data. For instance, Fig. 11
shows an isovalue map of the cumulated viscoplastic strain at maximum load. This evidences the visco-
plastic strain region in the matrix and the essential role of the strength of the bre/matrix interface, which
must accommodate the strains between the matrix (highly deformable) and the bre (very rigid). Modelling
of the interface behaviour and debonding via a Tvergaard model [13] is in progress.

4.2. Four-point bending

4.2.1. Mesh and boundary conditions

The macroscopic mesh used is illustrated in Fig. 12 with the boundary conditions chosen to represent a
four-point bending test. The bres are oriented so that the long direction is perpendicular to the plane of
the gure. For symmetry reasons, only half the real structure is meshed. Plane strains are assumed (e33 0).
This mesh includes 60 quadratic nite elements (eight nodes, four Gauss points) and 215 nodes. It may
appear coarse, but we will verify that it did not introduce any signicant nite element discretisation error
(at least for the homogenized elasticity coecients).

4.2.2. Material equation

Each integration point uses the FE2 model described above.
Fig. 13 shows the mesh of the bre/matrix microstructure associated with the FE2 model.
 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330 321

Fig. 12. Mesh, boundary conditions and splitting of the beam into subdomains.

Fig. 13. Mesh of the microstructure associated with the FE2 model.

4.2.3. Computation and analysis of the results

Cost. The complete macroscopic mesh requires 60  40 240 integration points. This macroscopic
bending computation therefore includes 240 nite element bre/matrix cell computations to be conducted
simultaneously. Each of these 240 computations `weighs' around 6 MB, i.e. a total cost of 1.5 GB! This
rst cost, concerning the total memory space, should not cause us to overlook the fact that each of the
240 computations is non-linear (matrix viscoplasticity) and the computation power this requires.
These two aspects clearly show why parallel computation is necessary. The mesh was split into six trivial
subdomains (Fig. 12) and run on a cluster of three biprocessor Sparc Ultra2 machines, each with 512 MB of
RAM and 9 GB of disc space. The complete computation lasted 8 h (user time).
Analysis of the results. The advantage of using this type of model is that it simultaneously provides the
macroscopic and microscopic results and thereby allows a detailed analysis of the local stress and strain
states in order to be able to estimate the local damage before ultimate failure of the structure.
Fig. 14 shows the generally non-linear macroscopic response of the structure due to microscopic vi-
scoplasticity. It represents a rst, very approximate, stage of computational analysis.
This analysis can then be rened by examining the successive strain rates of the beam as well as the
associated isovalue maps (stress or strain), as shown by Figs. 15 and 16.
But it is known from experience that the microscopic strength of the bre/matrix interface is an es-
sential factor, determining macroscopic failure. An analysis can be made on this scale by combining
parallel computation and the FE2 model. For instance, Figs. 17 and 18 are microscopic isovalue maps of
stress r11 observed in points 1 and 2 of the macroscopic mesh of Figs. 15 and 16. These maps clearly show
the gradient existing between region 1, under compression, and region 2, under tension, at microscopic
level.
322 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330

Fig. 14. Global response of the beam: force/displacement curve.

Fig. 15. Isovalues of r11 at maximum loading (MPa).

Fig. 16. Isovalues of e12 at maximum loading (105 ).

 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330 323

Fig. 17. Microscopic isovalues of r11 at maximum loading (MPa), displacements enlarged 10 times, point 1 of the macroscopic mesh.

Fig. 18. Microscopic isovalues of r11 at maximum loading (MPa), displacements enlarged 10 times, point 2 of the macroscopic mesh.

Fig. 19 shows the isovalues of evcum at maximum loading in point 1, clearly demonstrating the essential
role of the interface strength, which must be able to accommodate a large dierence in viscoplastic strain
between the matrix (viscoplastic) and bre (elastic).
Finally, as expected, region 3 of the macroscopic mesh is subjected to a mechanical shear state, causing a
deformed microstructure, as shown in Fig. 20.

4.2.4. Inuence of bre size

The above computation implicitly assumed the scale factor to approach zero (bre diameter very small
compared with the structure size and the wavelength of the mechanical stresses). What is the limit of this
approximation? To what extent can this model be used for SiC/Ti structures in which the bre size is
`merely' small compared with the size of the structure?
324 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330

Fig. 19. Microscopic isovalues of evcum at maximum loading (103 ), point 1 of the macroscopic mesh.

Fig. 20. Microscopic isovalues of e12 at maximum loading (105 ), displacement enlarged 100 times, point 3 of the macroscopic mesh.

The same beam bending computation was conducted for the same fraction by volume of bres, this time
completely meshing each heterogeneity by quadratic 2D elements with six and eight nodes. Table 4 shows
the number of nodes and elements of two computations for dierent bre diameters. Here again, parallel

Table 4
Characteristic of the computations explicitly meshing all the bres, for dierent bre diameters

Fibre diameter (mm) Number of DOFs Number of elements Number of meshed bres

0:65 108 222 19 350 150

0:32 430 642 77 400 300
 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330 325

computation is required. Each structure was computed on a cluster of three biprocessor Ultra-Sparc
workstations.
These computations yielded the total bending/force response which can be compared with that obtained
by the FE2 model (Fig. 21).
As expected, the system of curves converges toward the FE2 solution. But what is most interesting is that
convergence is fast. For bre diameters below 0.32 mm, which is relatively large compared with the beam
size 5  30 mm2 , the FE2 solution gives a good approximation. The advantage is obvious. The FE2
computation is of course costly and requires parallel computation, but it is innitely less so than the two
above computations. Table 5 shows the completion time (user time) for all these computations. The dif-
ference in CPU times clearly shows that it is impossible to make a computation for a more complex
structure by meshing all the heterogeneities.
In the many cases where detailed knowledge of the microstructure is important, the FE2 model is a
satisfactory alternative.
Finally, it should be noted that the FE2 solution gives a satisfactory approximation for a bre diameter
of the same magnitude as the volume around a Gauss point of the FE2 macroscopic mesh. It has been
veried that this mesh is not too coarse and does not introduction any nite element discretisation error.

Fig. 21. Convergence of the bending computation results versus scale factor.

Table 5
Computation completion time according to bre diameter

Scale factor Completion time

0:02  22 h
0:01  4 days
0 : FE2 8h
326 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330

4.3. Rotor subjected to centrifugal loading

The beam bending computation is a `textbook' case showing the feasibility of the FE2 method. In this
section, we discuss a real structure: a turbine rotor subjected to centrifugal loading.
Engine manufacturers are considering the replacement of metallic turbine rotors by rings whose center is
reinforced by a composite, as illustrated in Fig. 22.
This raises the problem of how to compute this structure, subjected to centrifugal loading, taking the
reinforcement microstructure into account in detail. The FE2 model is especially well suited for that.
It is assumed that the average radius of the part is large compared with the required speed of rotation, so
that the curvature of the bres can be neglected. Generalized plane strains are then assumed on the mi-
croscopic scale and axisymmetry on the macroscopic scale.

4.3.1. Mesh and boundary conditions

The axisymmetric mesh is illustrated in Fig. 23, as well as the associated symmetry conditions. This
geometry is relatively arbitrary, because of a lack of data on the dimensions of a real rotor made this way.
Loading is centrifugal. The speed of rotation varies linearly over time. The homogeneous part of the
rotor is made of titanium and the reinforcement is made of SiC/Ti composite (the composite matrix is made
of the same material as the rest of the rotor). The mesh of the underlying microstructure, still the same, is
given in the same gure.

Fig. 22. Schematic diagram of reinforced turbine rotor.

Fig. 23. Macroscopic and microscopic mesh, macroscopic boundary conditions of an FE2 computation on a reinforced rotor subjected
to centrifugal loading.
 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330 327

4.3.2. Requirements, computers

This computation, like the beam bending computation, was calibrated to occupy 1.5 GB of memory
space, which was the maximum capacity of the cluster used (three biprocessor Ultra-Sparc computers with
512 MB of RAM each). The computations were distributed on the six processors by splitting the mesh into
seven subdomains as shown in Fig. 24. One of the processors normally has a slightly higher load than the
others, since it processes a reinforcement band plus the entire homogeneous part. But since the computation
of the homogeneous part is negligible compared with that of the 6  6  4 144 nite element problems
due to the FE2 model, that was not a problem. The complete simulation lasted 10 h (user time).

4.3.3. Analysis of the results

As in the case of the beam, various levels of analysis are accessible. Fig. 25 shows the strain rate of a
rotor section at the end of loading, amplied ve times, as well as the isovalues of the corresponding shear
stress r12 .

Fig. 24. Splitting into seven subdomains.

Fig. 25. Stress r12 (MPa) at the end of loading, enlarged 5 times.
328 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330

The transition region between the homogeneous material and the reinforcement is critical for the
strength of the structure. Complex non-proportional loading occurs in this region, as shown by the curves
of Fig. 26, describing the variation of the triaxiality rate of the stresses along the axis of symmetry of the
part at dierent times.

Fig. 26. Variation of the triaxiality rate along the axis of symmetry.

Fig. 27. Amplied microscopic isovalues of strain ev12 , in region 1 of the macroscopic mesh.
 F. Feyel, J.-L. Chaboche / Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 183 (2000) 309330 329

Fig. 28. Microscopic isovalues of stress r33 (MPa), in region 1 of the macroscopic mesh.

Figs. 2628 illustrate phenomena on a ner scale, that of the bre/matrix pattern, in the macroscopic
region denoted by 1 in Fig. 25. The shape of the cell clearly shows the presence of shear components, which
is conrmed by examination of isovalues ev12 .

5. Conclusion

A methodology was developed that combines multiscale nite elements and parallel computation. It is
used to compute structures made of materials with a microstructure taking into account the local me-
chanical state. Therefore the macroscopic constitutive equations are no longer necessary. They are provided
in real time by nite element simulation of the microstructure using the macroscopic FE analysis as input.
This is necessary, for instance, to be able to predict life duration conditioned not only by the macro-
scopic mechanical state, but also by all the microscopic mechanical states.
This method, called FE2 , can already be used to calculate relatively complex structures, such as a beam
subjected to bending or a reinforced compressor disc subjected to centrifugal loading.
The two examples of simulation given above are based on bre/matrix type composite structures. We
demonstrated the essential role of the bre/matrix interface strength (microscopic scale), which conditions
the macroscopic behaviour, especially the damage and failure phases. The next step will be to include a
debonding law for the interface on microscopic scale. This work is in progress.
The FE2 model is not restrictive. In particular, its use can be contemplated for polycrystalline parts. In
this case, on a local scale, it is sucient to consider the mesh of a polycrystalline aggregate. The transition
equations from microscopic to macroscopic scale can either be the periodic homogenization equations (if
the RVE contains a sucient number of grains) or be based on stress or strain type conditions homoge-
neous on the contour, via self-consistent type schemes. It's also possible to use dierent mechanical con-
tinuum for both macroscopic and microscopic scales. Doing so, it will be possible to take into account high
mechanical gradient and/or bre size eects (using Cosserat continuum).

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