On the Size of RVE in Finite Elasticity of Random Composites

This paper presents a quantitative study of the size of representative volume element (RVE) of random matrix-inclusion composites based on a scale-dependent homogenization method. In particular, mesoscale bounds defined under essential or natural boundary conditions are computed for several nonlinear elastic, planar composites, in which the matrix and inclusions differ not only in their material parameters but also in their strain energy function representations. Various combinations of matrix and inclusion phases described by either neo-Hookean or Ogden function are examined, and these are compared to those of linear elastic types.

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