ABSTRACT
Considering a representative volume element located around a given point M, the macroscopic stress tensor σ is computed from the local contact forces
−→ Fc
between each pair of particles in contact in the RVE. The averaging procedure necessary to go from the local intergranular forces to the stress tensor has been largely discussed (Weber, 1966; Christoffersen, 1981; Mehrabadi, 1982), and now it seems well established that σ and
−→ Fc can be related by the Love formula of
homogenization:
where Fci is the ith component of the contact force −→ Fc ,
lcj is the jth component of the branch vector −→ lc joining
the centers of particles in contact on contact c, and the sum is extended to all the contacts occurring in volume ve.
