Compact closed-form micromechanical expressions for the effective uncoupled and coupled linear properties of layered composites

This work aims mainly to derive closed-form expressions for the effective properties of layered composites when linear uncoupled and coupled phenomena, such as conduction, elasticity, thermoelectricity and piezomagnetoelectricity, are concerned. In addition, properties may be graded in the direction normal to the layer plane. The remarkable feature of the obtained results is that they are expressed in a unified and very compact way for all uncoupled and coupled linear mechanical and physical phenomena. Our results include as special ones all the relevant results reported up to now in the literature. The key to obtaining our general compact coordinate-free results resides in extending Hill’s interfacial relations for a perfect elastic interface to the setting of an arbitrary finite number of uncoupled and coupled linear phenomena. The effects of the presence of stiffeners and softeners on the effective properties of layered composites are also investigated. In particular, four limiting cases for piezoelect...