Effective Constitutive Behavior of Heterogeneous Materials Comprising Bimodular Phases

In this study, the effective mechanical response of porous and composite materials comprising bimodular phases is investigated via a computational approach. Proposed numerical results, obtained via an iterative finite-element scheme, highlight that the local bimodularity leads to a macroscopic constitutive response more complex than that of local phases. By considering different strain-based conditions, coupling effects between hydrostatic and deviatoric states are highlighted. An unconventional macroscale material response, driven by perturbative effects locally induced by pores or inclusions, is revealed. Accordingly, proposed indications suggest that bimodularity features could be exploited for designing novel microstructured materials for advanced applications.