The anisotropic criterion of von Mises (1928) as a yield condition for PMMCs. A calibration procedure based on numerical cell-analysis

The first yield criterion for anisotropic materials was proposed by von Mises (1928). Compared with other classic anisotropic criteria, it is seldom mentioned in practical applications in literature. Here, the suitability of the anisotropic criterion of von Mises to characterize initial yielding of Particulate Metal Matrix Composites (PMMCs) is studied with a computational micromechanics approach. First, a calibration procedure is described for experimental quantification of the yield parameters. Then, an actual calibration is performed by means of numerical experimentation using FEM analysis of multi-particle cells.The cells used in the numerical experiments consist of a representative volume element (RVE) of the material, including a number of reinforcing particles, randomly distributed inside the RVE. Particles’ aspect ratio and orientation are controlled in such a way that the microstructure of the model material shows an explicit geometric anisotropy. The developed scheme allowed to qualitatively describe the relation between the anisotropy of the microstructure and the anisotropy of the mechanical behavior. Results show that the anisotropic criterion of von Mises is a good candidate to characterize initial yield of particulate composites. However, some further work needs to be done in order to extend its applicability to a wider range of mechanical loading.