Probabilistic modeling of apparent tensors in elastostatics: A MaxEnt approach under material symmetry and stochastic boundedness constraints

In this work, we address the stochastic modeling of apparent elasticity tensors, for which both material symmetry and stochastic boundedness constraints have to be taken into account, in addition to the classical constraint of invertibility. We first introduce a stochastic measure of anisotropy, which is defined using metrics in the set of elasticity tensors and used for quantitatively characterizing the fulfillment of material symmetry constraints. After having defined a numerical approximation for the stochastic boundedness constraint, we then propose a methodology allowing one to unify maximum entropy based models that have been previously derived by considering some of these constraints and which consists in constructing a probabilistic model for an auxiliary random variable. The latter can be interpreted as a stochastic compliance tensor, for which the available information to be used in the maximum entropy formulation can be readily deduced from the one considered for the elasticity tensor. A numerical illustration of the approach to an elastic microstructure is finally provided.

► We address the stochastic modeling of apparent tensors in elastostatics. ► To this aim, we have recourse to a MaxEnt formulation. ► Constraints on stochastic anisotropy and boundedness are introduced. ► The approach is exemplified by considering a two-phase elastic microstructure.