Equivalent Properties of Periodic Microstructures

Application ID: 23621


This app demonstrates the following:

  • Visualization of a periodic structure from a unit cell
  • Resetting some or all input parameters
  • Export the resulting material properties as an MPH-file or an XML-file that can be imported to a COMSOL Multiphysics session

Periodic microstructures are frequently found in composite materials, such as carbon fibers and honeycomb structures. They can be represented by a unit cell repeated along three directions of propagation.

To reduce computational costs, simulations may replace all of the microscopic details of a composite material with a homogeneous domain with equivalent properties. This app computes the equivalent properties for a geometrical configuration and the material properties of a unit cell to be used in a macroscopic model that uses these composite materials.

Nine different microstructures are given, with dimensional characteristics that are modifiable by the user, as well as thirteen predefined materials. The app calculates the equivalent density, heat capacity, and thermal conductivity or diffusivity of the composite materials.

This application example illustrates applications of this type that would nominally be built using the following products: