Micromechanical analysis of the finite elastic–viscoplastic response of multiphase composites

Nonlinear thermoelastic–viscoplastic constitutive equations for large deformations with isotropic and directional hardening, are incorporated into a micromechanical finite strain analysis. As a result of this analysis, which is based on the homogenization technique for periodic microstructures, a global thermoinelastic constitutive law is established that governs the overall response of multiphase materials under finite deformations. This constitutive law is expressed in terms of the instantaneous effective mechanical and thermal stress tangent tensors together with the instantaneous global inelastic stress tensor that represents the viscoplastic effects. Results for a thermoinelastic matrix reinforced by a hyperelastic compressible material are given that illustrate the response of fibrous and particulate composites to various types of loading.