Multi-scale physico-chemical characterization of CEB/ANS bio-composites

Abstract

In a vision to identify the non-linear behaviour of the compressed earth blocks (CEB) reinforced by the Argan nut shells particles (ANS) influenced by many parameters like the shape, the distribution and the quantity of the stabilizers, as well as the interactions between both phases: matrix and reinforcement. The use of numerical models seems to be indispensable. Yet, simulations of heterogeneous structures quickly become unaffordable by direct calculations on finite element software. Therefore, a homogenization of the experimental, analytical, and numerical macrostructure is performed. Thus, an overall micro-mesomacro approach to modelling the mechanical behaviour of CEB/CNA bio-composites has been established. It is mainly based on the notion of the representative elementary volume with two different structures (periodic structure and structure with a poisson distribution). The numerical and analytical homogenization results were validated by the Young’s modulus values resulting from the experimental compression test and the corresponding stress-strain curves.