A self-consistent approach to the elasto-plastic behaviour of two-phase materials including damage

A model is developed to compute the mechanical behaviour of two-phase mater ials including the effects of damage or changes in the volume fraction of e ach phase. The material is represented by an interpenetrating network of ra ndomly distributed spheres, which are assumed to behave as isotropic elasto -plastic solids. The incremental self-consistent method is used to compute the effective response of the material as well as the elastic stress redist ribution due to damage or phase change, As an example, the model prediction s are compared with experimental results - previously reported - for a part icle-reinforced metal-matrix composite, which presented damage by reinforce ment fracture during deformation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.