An efficient analytical homogenization technique for mechanical-hygrothermal responses of unidirectional composites with applications to optimization and multiscale analyses

The elasticity-based Locally Exact Homogenization Theory (LEHT) is extended to study the mechanical-hygrothermal behaviors of unidirectionally-reinforced composites. Based on the framework developed previously, thermal and moisture effects are incorporated into the LEHT to study the homogenized and localized responses of heterogeneous materials, which are validated using available analytical and numerical techniques. The LEHT programs are then encapsulated as subroutines with Input/Output (I/O) interfaces, to be readily applied in different computational scenarios. In order to illustrate the efficiency of the LEHT, the theory is firstly coupled to the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm in order to minimize the axial thermal expansion mismatch in hexagonal and square fiber arrays by tailoring the fiber volume fraction. The LEHT is then implemented into the lamination theory to study fabrication-induced residual stresses arising during the cool-down process which introduces local laminate stresses owing to thermo-mechanical property mismatch between plies. Both of these applications illustrate the efficiency and accuracy of the LEHT in generating effective properties and local stress distributions, making the theory a golden standard in validating other analytical or numerical techniques as well as a reliable tool in composite design and practice for professionals and non-professionals alike.