The reduced model multiscale method (R3M) for the non-linear homogenization of hyperelastic media at finite strains

This paper presents a new multi-scale method for the homogenization analysis of hyperelastic solids undergoing finite strains. The key contribution is to use an incremental nonlinear homogenization technique in tandem with a model reduction method, in order to alleviate the complexity of multiscale procedures, which usually involve a large number of nonlinear nested problems to be solved. The problem associated with the representative volume element (RVE) is solved via a model reduction method (proper orthogonal decomposition). The reduced basis is obtained through pre-computations on the RVE. The technique, coined as reduced model multiscale method (R3M), allows reducing significantly the computation times, as no large matrix needs to be inverted, and as the convergence of both macro and micro problems is enhanced. Furthermore, the R3M drastically reduces the size of the data base describing the history of the micro problems. In order to validate the technique in the context of porous elastomers at finite strains, a comparison between a full and a reduced multiscale analysis is performed through numerical examples, involving different micro and macro structures, as well as different nonlinear models (Neo-Hookean, Mooney-Rivlin). It is shown that the R3M gives good agreement with the full simulations, at lower computational and data storage requirements. 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.