Mechanics Coupling

Coupled phase field and mechanics simulations require a MOOSE executable that combine the phase_field and tensor_mechanics modules. One such executable can be built under moose/modules/combined. That directory also contains a set of examples that are worth looking at.

Full coupling between phase field and mechanics goes both ways:

  1. The phase field variables influence the mechanics properties

  2. The mechanics state creates a free energy contribution that enters the phase field equations

Mechanical properties

The mechanical properties of the system can (and will) be a function of the phase field variables in a tightly coupled simulation.

Elasticity tensor

Different phases (switched by a non-conserved order parameter) can have different elasticity tensors

Eigenstrain (misfit strain, stress-free strain)

Different phases (switched by a non-conserved order parameter) can have different eigenstrains. This is used to simulate lattice mismatch between phases.

  • ComputeVariableEigenstrain is a tensor with a variable dependent scalar prefactor. It is best used to turn an eigenstrain on or off depending on a concentration variable.

  • CompositeEigenstrain is an eigenstrain tensor built from multiple tensor contributions weighted by material properties.

Elastic free energy

To couple the phase field equations with mechanics a contribution of the deformation energy (elastic energy) needs to enter the free energy density of the system. The phase field equations should be assembled using the CahnHilliard, SplitCHParsed, and AllenCahn Function Material Kernels which all take the free energy as a Function Material.

  • Define the chemical free energy using a Function Material.

  • The ElasticEnergyMaterial will automatically compute the free energy density contribution using the local stresses and strains.

  • Use the DerivativeSumMaterial to sum the chemical and elastic free energy contributions to a total free energy (which is then passed to the kernels).