Finite element simulation of nonlinear magnetoelectric coupling and damage behaviour in multiferroic composites

Abstract

In this paper, the constitutive modelling of nonlinear multifield behavior as well as the finite element implementation are presented. Nonlinear material models describing the magneto-ferroelectric or electro-ferromagnetic behaviors are presented. Both physically and phenomenologically motivated constitutive models have been developed for the numerical calculation of principally different nonlinear magnetostrictive behaviors. Further, the nonlinear ferroelectric behavior is based on a physically motivated constitutive model. On this basis, the polarization in the ferroelectric and magnetization in the ferromagnetic and magnetostrictive phases, respectively, are simulated and the resulting effects analyzed. Additionally, the ferroelectric model accounts for damage due to microcrack growth. Numerical simulations focus on the calculation of magnetoelectric coupling and on the prediction of local domain orientations as well as damage processes going along with the poling process, thus supplying information on favorable electric-magnetic loading sequences.