PHASE-INTERCHANGE RELATIONS FOR THE ELASTIC-MODULI OF 2-PHASE COMPOSITES

For isotropic two-phase composites, we derive phase-interchange inequa lities for the bulk and shear moduli in two and three space dimensions . We find optimal microstructures that realize part of the bulk and sh ear moduli bounds in two dimensions. Geometrical-parameter bounds and the translation method are used to prove the results. The phase-interc hange relations are applied to composites with cavities or a perfectly rigid phase, composites near the percolation threshold, incompressibl e composites, composites with equal bulk or shear phase moduli, and sy mmetric composites. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd