ESTIMATION OF EFFECTIVE ELASTIC-MODULI FOR COMPOSITES

The linearly elastic deformation of a composite material with matrix outer boundary is shown to be governed by the matrix deformation, inclusion deformation and deformation due to a change in the relative inclusion geometry. The latter deformation can be shown to be independent of the inclusion material property. If the effective elastic moduli of a composite are known, then we can estimate the effective elastic moduli of other composites with the same inclusion geometry and matrix material, but with different inclusion materials. This is true for any inclusion geometry and any inclusion volume fraction as long as the outer boundary of the sample consists of matrix material.