Homogenization Methods: Effective Properties of Composites

Almost all materials are inhomogeneous at the microscale. Typical examples are fiber- and grain structures made of anisotropic phases. These cannot be accounted for in detail in engineering calculations. Instead, effective, homogeneous material properties are used. These are obtained from the inhomogeneous structures by homogenization methods. This book provides a structured overview of the analytical homogenization methods, including the most common estimates, bounds, and Fourier methods. The focus is on linear and anisotropic constitutive relationships, like Hookean elasticity and Fourier’s law for thermal conduction. All sections are accompanied by example calculations, including program code that is also available online.

Rainer Glüge is a mechanical engineer who studied continuum mechanics, material modelling and homogenization methods at the University of Magdeburg from 2003 to 2021.