FEM Modeling of Eigenstrain in Heterogeneous Media

The concept of eigenstrain is a link between solid mechanics and other physical phenomena which cause a change of shape or dimension in a material. These include plasticity, creep, vacancy-assisted deformation, twinning, thermal expansion, dimensional changes due to phase transformation and curing, etc. Although these physical phenomena can lead to deformation, it is only the elastic strain that can cause stress.

In this webinar, we will discuss the applications of finite element analysis to study eigenstrain problems of thermal distortion and residual stresses during heat treatment, welding, polymer curing and additive manufacturing. What makes these problems challenging is the fact that many of these problems are multiphysics in nature, with each physics having different spatial and temporal scales. Since solid mechanics is agnostic to the origin of eigenstrain, it is possible to account for the cumulative effort of all the multiphysics causing eigenstrain into any one phenomenon that causes eigenstrain. Recent advances in using machine learning to model the cumulative effects of all the multiphysics, without requiring knowledge of the physics of each phenomenon, will also be discussed.

This webinar will give you a basic understanding of the equations of micromechanics in the presence of eigenstrains and their application.