Thermo-Mechanical Multiscale Analysis of Superconducting Cables using the Generalized Self Consistent Like Method (Key-note lecture)

This paper presents a development of the usual generalized self-consistent method for homogenization of composite materials. We take into consideration a special class of het-erogeneous materials, formed by a matrix and “fibrous inclusions”. The microstructure of these composites consists of a continuum phase and a set of isolated inclusions randomly dis-tributed inside the matrix, but having the longitudinal direction parallel one to another. The matrix can be non linear, and inclusions can be non-homogeneous, i.e. they can have their own microstructure, composed of concentric rings of different materials. The problem is for-mulated for the coupled thermo-mechanical field. Starting from the generalized self-consistent homogenization, a generalized self-consistent like (GSCL) method is formulated, suitably enriched to take into consideration the non-linear behaviour of the initial materials, the heterogeneity of the inclusions and the dependence of the properties on the temperature. Finally, the method is applied to the real case of superconducting (SC) strands used for the coils of ITER experimental reactor.