Determination of the size of representative volume element for viscous sintering

Abstract

The representative volume element (RVE) is a basic concept in the continuum mechanics of sintering of random heterogeneous porous materials. A quantitative determination of its size was performed by using synchrotron X-ray microtomography data of constrained sintering of thin glass film on a rigid substrate. A RVE size is associated with a property of interest; we determined it for relative density, specific surface area, and hydrostatic component of sintering stress. The RVE size was estimated to be from 11 to 17 times larger than the average initial particle size. The RVE size was associated with a given precision of the property. It depended on the volume fraction of porous structure, or, relative density, so that it varied with microstructural evolution.