In this contribution, the ratcheting behavior and local field distribution of unidirectional metal matrix composites are investigated under cyclic loading. To that end, we extended the finite-volume direct averaging micromechanics (FVDAM) theory by incorporating the rule of nonlinear kinematic hardening. The proposed method enables efficient and accurate simulation of the ratcheting behavior of unidirectional composites. The local satisfaction of equilibrium equations of the FVDAM theory facilitates quick and rapid convergence during the plastic iterations. To verify the proposed theory, a finite-element (FE) based unit cell model is constructed with the same mesh discretization. The remarkable correlation of the transverse response and local field distribution generated by the FVDAM and FE techniques demonstrates the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed models. The stress discontinuities along the fiber/matrix interface that are generic to the finite-element theory are absent in the FVDAM prediction. The effects of thermal residual stresses induced during the consolidation process, as well as fiber orientations, are revealed. The generated results indicate that the FVDAM is well suited for simulating the elastic-plastic ratcheting behavior of metal matrix composites, which will provide the conventional finite-element based technique with an attractive alternative.
Keywords: cyclic plasticity; finite-volume theory; homogenization; metal matrix composites; ratcheting effect; residual stresses.