5. Coupled methodological approach

It is quite possible to couple some of these interface/interphase models, in order to better define the interface/interphase. This is partly the case when it is necessary to free oneself from the effect of mechanical reinforcement and to account only for the potential effects of physical and/or chemical cross-linking of the matrix induced by specific interactions created between the matrix and the reinforcements via surface treatment. To achieve this, it is necessary to use inverse mechanical modelling approaches to separate the mechanical behaviour of the reinforcements from that of a matrix that will be referred to as a "modified matrix" in the sense that its microstructure is different from that of the initial non-reinforced matrix, as shown in figure 5 . The application...