Constitutive modeling of porous hyperelastic materials

A micromechanics framework for the development of continuum-level constitutive models for the large-strain deformation of porous hyperelastic materials is presented. A kinematically admissible deformation field is assumed which enables the derivation of a strain energy density function for the porous material. The strain energy density function depends on the properties of the incompressible hyperelastic matrix material, the initial level of porosity, and the macroscopic deformation. Differentiation of the strain energy density function, with respect to deformation, provides an expression for the stress-strain behavior of the porous hyperelastic material. Example calculations are carried, out for porous hyperelastic materials with a Neo-Hookean matrix. The constitutive model is used to predict the stress-strain behavior of the pore-containing matrix as a function of initial porosity and macroscopic loading conditions. Predictions of the dependence of the small-strain elastic response on porosity are compared to various estimates of effective elastic moduli for porous materials found in the literature. Constitutive model predictions of the small to large-strain deformation behavior compare well with results from numerical three-dimensional micromechanical multi-void cell models. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.