The effective conductivity of strongly nonlinear media: The dilute limit. (February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Willot, François
• Is Part Of: International journal of solids and structures. Volume 184(2020)
• Page Start: 287
• Page End: 295
• Publication Date: 2020-02
• Subjects: Minimal paths -- Homogenization; -- Composites -- Conductivity -- Probabilistic models; Mechanics, Applied -- Periodicals; Structural analysis (Engineering) -- Periodicals; Elastic solids -- Periodicals; Mécanique appliquée -- Périodiques; Constructions, Théorie des -- Périodiques; Solides élastiques -- Périodiques; Elastic solids; Mechanics, Applied; Structural analysis (Engineering); Periodicals; 624.18
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2019.06.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-7683

Abstract

Abstract: This work is a combined numerical and analytical investigation of the effective conductivity of strongly nonlinear media in two dimensions. The nonlinear behavior is characterized by a threshold value for the maximal absolute current. Our main focus is on random media containing an infinitesimal proportion f ≪ 1 of insulating phase. We first consider a random conducting network on a square grid and establish a relationship between the length of minimal paths spanning the network and the network's effective response. In the dilute limit f ≪ 1, the network's effective conductivity scales, to leading-order correction in f, as ∼ f ν with ν = 1 or ν = 1 / 2, depending on the direction of the applied field with respect to the grid. Second, we introduce coupling between local bonds, and observe an exponent ν ≈ 2/3. To interpret this result, we derive an upper-bound for the length of geodesics spanning random media in the continuum, relevant to media with a dilute concentration of heterogeneities. We argue that ν = 2 / 3 for random composites in the continuum with homogeneously-distributed, monodisperse particles, in two dimensions.