Representation of correlation statistics functions in heterogeneous materials using layered fast spherical harmonics expansion

Statistical correlation function, including two-point function, is one of the popular methods to digitize microstructure quantitatively. This paper investigated how to represent statistical correlations using layered fast spherical harmonics expansion. A set of spherical harmonics coefficients may be used to represent the corresponding microstructures. It is applied to represent carbon nanotube composite microstructures to demonstrate how efficiently and precisely the harmonics coefficients will characterize the microstructure. This microstructure representation methodology will dramatically improve the computational efficiencies for future works in microstructure reconstruction and property prediction.