Relationship between geometric and physical structure and properties of granular composites

Abstract

The majority of contemporary methods used in the predictions of the deformation behaviour of non-homogeneous materials as a response to external loads (similarly in the case of various physical characteristics) concern composites of the first type [1], i.e. compact systems consisting of a matrix with segregated solid particles. Various quasihomogeneous and quasi-isotropic models of compact materials are used and the structural aspects are considered at most by empirical modifications of relations obtained. The introduction of the actual geometrical structure or at least of an adequate structural model, together with the physical properties of the components, into the description of the composites, particularly composites of the second and third types (with aggregated solid particles, with or without fluid phase, either continuous or discrete) [1] has not been customary so far, although it is impossible to expect a good agreement of theoretical and actual results without it. This paper analyses, on the one hand, adequate models of quasi-homogenous compact composites and presents, on the other hand, structural models of composite materials (both compact and incompact, [2, 3]), enabling the introduction of the effects of both the geometrical arrangement of the structure and the interphase interactions, including the effects of external environment.