arXiv subjects

Geralf Hütter

Publications and source records attributed to Geralf Hütter.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Scale-Bridging Phase-Field Modeling of Microstructure Evolution by FE$^2$ Computational Homogenization

Phase-field models have become a standard tool for simulating complex microstructure evolution in materials, but their application to engineering-scale components is often hindered by prohibitive computational costs arising from the need to resolve fine-scale features. To address this challenge, we propose a consistent homogenization framework for phase-field theory. By enforcing a Hill-Mandel-type condition of micro-homogeneity formulated in terms of Gurtin's microforces, a well-posed boundary value problem is derived for the representative volume element (RVE), establishing rigorous micro-macro relations for both the order parameter and its gradient. The theory is implemented within a computational two-scale (FE$^2$) scheme and validated against direct numerical simulations. Two distinct examples are investigated: a minimal Allen-Cahn model and a mechanically-coupled model for stress-driven martensitic phase transformation. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework can reliably predict the spatial and temporal evolution of the macroscopically averaged fields with reasonable accuracy.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2025

Empirical Hyper Element Integration Method (EHEIM) with Unified Integration Criteria for Efficient Hyper Reduced FE$^2$ Simulations

Numerical homogenization for mechanical multiscale modeling by means of the finite element method (FEM) is an elegant way of obtaining structure-property relations, if the behavior of the constituents of the lower scale is well understood. However, the computational costs of this so-called FE$^2$ method are so high that reduction methods are essential. While the construction of a reduced basis for the microscopic nodal displacements using proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) has become a standard technique, the reduction of the computational effort for the projected nodal forces, the so-called hyper reduction, is an additional challenge, for which different strategies have been proposed in the literature. The empirical cubature method (ECM), which has been proven to be very robust, implemented the conservation of the total volume is used as a constraint in the resulting optimization problem, while energy-based criteria have been proposed in other contributions. The present contribution presents a unified integration criteria concept, involving the aforementioned criteria, among others. These criteria are used both with a Gauss point-based as well as with an element-based hyper reduction scheme, the latter retaining full compatibility with the common modular finite element framework. The methods are combined with a previously proposed clustered training strategy and a monolithic solver. Numerical examples empirically demonstrate that the additional criteria improve the accuracy for a given number of modes. Vice verse, less modes and thus lower computational costs are required to reach a given level of accuracy.

math.NA↗

arXiv2024

Micromorphic FE$^2$ Simulation of Plastic Deformations of Foam Structures

Capturing and predicting the effective mechanical properties of highly porous cellular media still represents a significant challenge for the research community, due to their complex structural interdependencies and known size effects. Micromorphic theories are often applied in this context to model the inelastic deformation behavior of foam-like structures, in particular to incorporate such size effect into the investigation of structure-property correlations. This raises the problems of formulating appropriate constitutive relations for the numerous non-classical stress measures and determining the corresponding material parameters, which are usually difficult to assess experimentally. The present contribution therefore alternatively employs a concurrent micromorphic multi-scale approach within the Direct FE$^2$ framework to simulate the complex irreversible behavior of foam-like porous solids. The predictions of Cosserat (micropolar) and a fully-micromorphic theory are compared with conventional FE$^2$ results and direct numerical simulations (DNS) for complex loading scenarios with elastic, elastic-plastic, and creep deformations.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2023

Monolithic Hyper ROM FE$^2$ Method with Clustered Training at Finite Deformations

The usage of numerical homogenization to obtain structure-property relations using the finite element method at both the micro and macroscale has gained much interest in the research community. However the computational cost of this so called FE$^2$ method is so high that algorithmic modifications and reduction methods are essential. Currently the authors proposed a monolithic algorithm. Now this algorithm is combined with ROM and ECM hyper integration, applied at finite deformations and complemented by a clustered training strategy, which lowers the training effort and the number of necessary ROM modes immensely. The applied methods are modularly combinable as aimed in finite element approaches. An implementation in terms of an extension for the already established MonolithFE$^2$ code is provided. Numerical examples show the efficiency and accuracy of the monolithic hyper ROM FE$^2$ method and the advantages of the clustered training strategy. Online times of below $1\%$ of the conventional FE$^2$ method could be gained. In addition the training stage requires around $3\%$ of that time, meaning that no extremely expensive offline stage is necessary as in many Neural Network approaches, which only pay off when a lot of online simulations will be conducted.

math.NA↗

arXiv2023

On the question of the sign of size effects in the elastic behavior of foams

Due to their good ratio of stiffness and strength to weight, foam materials find use in lightweight engineering. Though, in many applications like structural bending or tension, the scale separation between macroscopic structure and the foam's mesostructure like cells size, is relatively weak and the mechanical properties of the foam appear to be size dependent. Positive as well as negative size effects have been observed for certain basic tests of foams, i.e., the material appears either to be more compliant or stiffer than would be expected from larger specimens. Performing tests with sufficiently small specimens is challenging as any disturbances from damage of cell walls during sample preparation or from loading devices must be avoided. Correspondingly, the number of respective data in literature is relatively low and the results are partly contradictory. In order to avoid the problems from sample preparation or bearings, the present study employs virtual tests with CT data of real medium-density ceramic foams. A number of samples of different size is "cut" from the resulting voxel data. Subsequently, the apparent elastic properties of each virtual sample are "measured" directly by a free vibrational analysis using finite cell method, thereby avoiding any disturbances from load application or bearings. The results exhibit a large scatter of the apparent moduli per sample size, but with a clear negative size effect in all investigated basic modes of deformation (bending, torsion, uniaxial). Finally, the results are compared qualitatively and quantitatively to available experimental data from literature, yielding common trends as well as open questions.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2022

Interpretation of micromorphic constitutive relations for porous materials at the microscale via harmonic decomposition

Micromorphic theories became an established tool to model size effects in materials like dispersion, localization phenomena or (apparently) size dependent properties. However, the formulation of adequate constitutive relations with its large number of constitutive relations and respective parameters hinders the usage of the full micromorphic theory, which has 18 constitutive parameters already in the isotropic linear elastic case. Although it is clear that these parameters are related to predicted size effects, the individual meaning of single parameters has been rather unclear. The present work tries to elucidate the interpretation of the constitutive relations and their parameters. For this purpose, a harmonic decomposition is applied to the governing equations of micromorphic theory. The harmonic modes are interpreted at the microscale using a homogenization method for a simple volume element with spherical pore. The resulting boundary-value problem at the microscale is solved analytically for the linear-elastic case using spherical harmonics resulting in closed-form expressions for all of the elastic 18 parameters. These values are used to predict the size effect in torsion of slender foam specimens. The predictions are compared with respective experimental results from literature.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

Analytical solutions of the simple shear problem for certain types of micromorphic continuum models -- including full derivations

To draw conclusions as regards the stability and modelling limits of the investigated continuum, we consider a family of infinitesimal isotropic generalized continuum models (Mindlin-Eringen micromorphic, relaxed micromorphic continuum, Cosserat, micropolar, microstretch, microstrain, microvoid, indeterminate couple stress, second gradient elasticity, etc.) and solve analytically the simple shear problem of an infinite stripe. A qualitative measure characterizing the different generalized continuum moduli is given by the shear stiffness $μ^{*}$. This stiffness is in general length-scale dependent. Interesting limit cases are highlighted, which allow to interpret some of the appearing material parameter of the investigated continua.

physics.class-ph↗

arXiv2021

Analytical solution of the cylindrical torsion problem for the relaxed micromorphic continuum and other generalized continua (including full derivations)

We solve the St.Venant torsion problem for an infinite cylindrical rod whose behaviour is described by a family of isotropic generalized continua, including the relaxed micromorphic and classical micromorphic model. The results can be used to determine the material parameters of these models. Special attention is given to the possible nonphysical stiffness singularity for a vanishing rod diameter, since slender specimens are in general described as stiffer.

math.CA↗

arXiv2021

An efficient monolithic solution scheme for FE$^2$ problems

The FE$^2$ method is a very flexible but computationally expensive tool for multiscale simulations. In conventional implementations, the microscopic displacements are iteratively solved for within each macroscopic iteration loop, although the macroscopic strains imposed as boundary conditions at the micro-scale only represent estimates. In order to reduce the number of expensive micro-scale iterations, the present contribution presents a monolithic FE$^2$ scheme, for which the displacements at the micro-scale and at the macro-scale are solved for in a common Newton-Raphson loop. In this case, the linear system of equations within each iteration is solved by static condensation, so that only very limited modifications to the conventional, staggered scheme are necessary. The proposed monolithic FE$^2$ algorithm is implemented into the commercial FE code Abaqus. Benchmark examples demonstrate that the monolithic scheme saves up to ~60% of computational costs.

math.NA↗

arXiv2021

Influence of Topology and Porosity on Size Effects in Stripes of Cellular Material with Honeycomb Structure under Shear, Tension and Bending

Cellular solids are known to exhibit size effects, i.e., differences in the apparent effective elastic moduli, when the specimen size becomes comparable to the cell size. The present contribution employs direct numerical simulations (DNS) of the mesostructure to investigate the influences of porosity, shape of pores, and thus material distribution along the struts, and orientation of loading on the size effects and effective moduli of regular honeycomb structures. Beam models are compared to continuum models for simple shear, uniaxial loading and pure bending of strips of finite width. It is found that the honeycomb structure exhibits a considerable anisotropy of the size effects and that honeycomb structures with circular pores exhibit considerably stronger size effects than those with hexagonal pores (and thus straight struts). Positive (stiffening) size effects are observed under simple shear and negative (softening) size effects under bending and uniaxial loading. The negative size effects are interpreted in terms of the stress-gradient theory.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2020

Analytical solutions of the cylindrical bending problem for the relaxed micromorphic continuum and other generalized continua (including full derivations)

We consider the cylindrical bending problem for an infinite plate as modelled with a family of generalized continuum models, including the micromorphic approach. The models allow to describe length scale effects in the sense that thinner specimens are comparatively stiffer. We provide the analytical solution for each case and exhibit the predicted bending stiffness. The relaxed micromorphic continuum shows bounded bending stiffness for arbitrary thin specimens, while classical micromorphic continuum or gradient elasticity as well as Cosserat models [35] exhibit unphysical unbounded bending stiffness for arbitrary thin specimens. This finding highlights the advantage of using the relaxed micromorphic model, which has a definite limit stiffness for small samples and which aids in identifying the relevant material parameters.

math.CA↗

arXiv2020

Kinematics and constitutive relations in the stress-gradient theory: interpretation by homogenization

The stress-gradient theory has a third order tensor as kinematic degree of freedom, which is work-conjugate to the stress gradient. This tensor was called micro-displacements just for dimensional reasons. Consequently, this theory requires a constitutive relation between stress gradient and micro-displacements, in addition to the conventional stress-strain relation. The formulation of such a constitutive relation and identification of the parameters therein is difficult without an interpretation of the micro-displacement tensor. The present contribution presents an homogenization concept from a Cauchy continuum at the micro-scale towards a stress-gradient continuum at the macro-scale. Conventional static boundary conditions at the volume element are interpreted as a Taylor series whose next term involves the stress gradient. A generalized Hill-Mandel lemma shows that the micro-displacements can be identified with the deviatoric part of the first moment of the microscopic strain field. Kinematic and periodic boundary conditions are provided as alternative to the static ones. The homogenization approach is used to compute the stress-gradient properties of an elastic porous material. The predicted negative size effect under uni-axial loading is compared with respective experimental results for foams and direct numerical simulations from literature.

physics.comp-ph↗

arXiv2019

A hybrid approach to simulate the homogenized irreversible elastic-plastic deformations and damage of foams by neural networks

Classically, the constitutive behavior of materials is described either phenomenologically, or by homogenization approaches. Phenomenological approaches are computationally very efficient, but are limited for complex non-linear and irreversible mechanisms. Such complex mechanisms can be described well by computational homogenization, but respective FE$^2$ computations are very expensive. As an alternative way, neural networks have been proposed for constitutive modeling, using either experiments or computational homogenization results for training. However, the application of this method to irreversible material behavior is not trivial. The present contribution presents a hybrid methodology to embed neural networks into the established framework of rate-independent plasticity. Both, the yield function and the evolution equations of internal state variables are represented by neural networks. Respective training data for a foam material are generated from RVE-simulations under monotonic loading. It is demonstrated that this hybrid multi-scale neural network approach (HyMNNA) allows to simulate efficiently even the anisotropic elastic-plastic behavior of foam structures with coupled anisotropic evolution of damage and non-associated plastic flow.

physics.comp-ph↗