On limitations of polyconvexity

Polyconvex constitutive modeling is attractive as it guarantees stability of numerical simulations and can improve the generalization behavior of material models. However, in certain applications, polyconvex formulations perform poorly in reproducing the underlying ground truth material response, which can effectively preclude their practical use. In this work, we address this issue and investigate the limitations of polyconvex constitutive modeling. The main contributions of this paper are as follows: (1) We analyze the theoretical reasons why polyconvexity may, in some cases, impose overly restrictive constraints that limit the achievable accuracy of constitutive models. Thereby, we provide analytical ellipticity guarantees for two non-polyconvex Mooney-Rivlin type potentials. (2) We investigate the practical limitations of polyconvex physics-augmented neural network constitutive models using two representative formulations: models using structural tensor-based invariants and models using signed singular values. Their performance is evaluated on datasets obtained from homogenized microstructured materials, and their predictive capabilities are assessed in finite element simulations. (3) Overall, we provide an overview of benefits, limitations, and mitigation strategies of polyconvex constitutive modeling.