Elastic heterogeneity of soft random solids

Spatial heterogeneity in the elastic properties of soft random solids is examined via a semi-microscopic model network using replica statistical mechanics. The elastic heterogeneity is characterized by random residual stress and Lamé coefficient fields, and the statistics of these quantities is inferred. Correlations involving the residual-stress field are found to be long ranged and governed by a universal parameter that also gives the mean shear modulus.