Coupled phase field and mechanics simulations require a MOOSE executable that combined the phase_field and tensor_mechanics modules. One such executable can be built under moose/modules/combined. That directory also contains a set of examples that are worth looking at.

Full coupling between phase field and mechanics goes both ways

1. The phase field variables influence the mechanics properties
2. The mechanics state creates a free energy contribution that enters the phase field equations

## 1. Mechanical properties

The mechanical properties of the system can (and will) be a function of the phase field variables in a tightly coupled simulation.

• Elasticity tensor
• Different phases (switched by a non-conserved order parameter) can have different elasticity tensors
• CompositeElasticityTensor is a tensor that depends on phase field variables in an arbitrary way
• Eigen strain (misfit strain, stress-free strain)
• Different phases (switched by a non-conserved order parameter) can have different Eigen strains. This is used to simulate lattice mismatch between phases.
• ComputeVariableEigenstrain is a tensor with a variable dependent scalar prefactor. It is best used to turn an Eigenstrain on or off depending on a concentration variable.
• CompositeEigenstrain - WIP

## 2. Elastic free energy

To couple the phase field equations with mechanics a contribution of the deformation energy (elastic energy) needs to enter the free energy density of the system. The phase field equations should be assembled using the CahnHilliard, SplitCHParsed, and AllenCahn parsed function kernels which all take the free energy as a Function Material.