Generating realistic representative microstructure of biomimetic composite materials for computational assessment of mechanical properties

Alumina hexagonal microplatelets, have been widely utilized to fabricate biomimetic materials. Due to their complex microstructure, accurately predicting the response of biomimetic materials using analytical or numerical approaches can be difficult. More specifically, for computational finite element assessment, the main challenge is regarding the generation of realistic non-uniformly dispersed 3D representative volume element (RVE) geometries. Hence, a novel rapid approach named staggered hard core algorithm (SHCA) was proposed. Dispersions of periodic staggered hexagonal microplatelets in the 3D RVE was assessed statistically. A new technique was developed for applying the corresponding periodic boundary conditions within the ABAQUS using customized PYTHON scripts. By coupling the SHCA approach and dummy element technique, evaluation of the 3D RVE response was greatly simplified. In- and out-of-plane orthotropic elastic properties of biomimetic composites in a range of 10% to 40% inclusion volume fractions were determined and compared with available experimental data, with good correlation. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.