From crack deflection to lattice vibrations—macro to atomistic examination of dynamic cleavage fracture

A set of cleavage experiments with strip-shaped single-crystal silicon specimens subjected to three-point bending is reported. The experiments enabled examination of the relationships between the dynamic energy release rate, the velocity, the orientation-dependent cleavage energy, and the cleavage plane of propagation.Dynamic crack propagation experiments show that when a [0 0 1] silicon single crystal is fractured under three-point bending at ‘parallel’ velocity (directly measured at the bottom surface of the specimen) of up to , it prefers to cleave along the vertical (1 1 0) plane, while when the specimen is fractured under the same conditions but at a velocity higher than , it cleaves along the inclined (1 1 1) plane. At intermediate velocities, the crack will deflect from the (1 1 0) plane to the (1 1 1) plane. Crack velocity was determined by the initial notch length. The local (calculated) velocity of deflection between the cleavage planes ranges from , for a crack propagating on the (1 1 0) plane in the direction, to about , for a crack on the (1 1 0) plane, but in the [0 0 1] direction.It is suggested that the cause of the deflection phenomenon is the anisotropic, velocity-dependent cleavage energy, resulted phonon radiation caused by anisotropic, velocity-dependent lattice vibrations. We have studied the effect of material properties and propose selection criteria to explain the deflection phenomenon: the crack will deflect to the plane of least-energy, for which G−Γ_i(V)=max, or to the plane with maximum crack tip velocity, V_i(Γ)=max.     

Discrete dislocation plasticity analysis of the wedge indentation of films

The plane strain indentation of single crystal films on a rigid substrate by a rigid wedge indenter is analyzed using discrete dislocation plasticity. The crystals have three slip systems at ±35.3^° and 90^° with respect to the indentation direction. The analyses are carried out for three values of the film thickness, 2, 10 and , and with the dislocations all of edge character modeled as line singularities in a linear elastic material. The lattice resistance to dislocation motion, dislocation nucleation, dislocation interaction with obstacles and dislocation annihilation are incorporated through a set of constitutive rules. Over the range of indentation depths considered, the indentation pressure for the 10 and thick films decreases with increasing contact size and attains a contact size-independent value for contact lengths . On the other hand, for the films, the indentation pressure first decreases with increasing contact size and subsequently increases as the plastic zone reaches the rigid substrate. For the 10 and thick films sink-in occurs around the indenter, while pile-up occurs in the film when the plastic zone reaches the substrate. Comparisons are made with predictions obtained from other formulations: (i) the contact size-independent indentation pressure is compared with that given by continuum crystal plasticity; (ii) the scaling of the indentation pressure with indentation depth is compared with the relation proposed by Nix and Gao [1998. Indentation size effects in crystalline materials: a law for strain gradient plasticity. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 43, 411-423]; and (iii) the computed contact area is compared with that obtained from the estimation procedure of Oliver and Pharr [1992. An improved technique for determining hardness and elastic-modulus using load and displacement sensing indentation experiments, J. Mater. Res. 7, 1564-1583].     

Incompressible laminar 2D steady thermal boundary layers with temperature-dependent kinematic viscosity and thermal diffusivity

We prove that the incompressible 2D steady thermal boundary layer equations with temperature-dependent kinematic viscosity ν and thermal diffusivity α is maximally symmetric provided the Prantl number Pr=ν/α is constant and or ν=K₂(AT+B)^K₁ if we neglect energy dissipation and if we take into account dissipation. This result corroborates assumptions often made in applications. When we disregard dissipation, the symmetry Lie algebra assumes the forms L^r⊕L^∞, where L^∞ is an infinite-dimensional Lie algebra and L^r is an r-dimensional Lie algebra with r∈{3,4,5,6}. If we include dissipation, r∈{2,3}. We notice that dissipation has a symmetry breaking effect.We also show how the symmetries can be employed for the calculation of invariant solutions.     

A perturbation-incremental method for strongly non-linear non-autonomous oscillators

A perturbation-incremental method is extended for the analysis of strongly non-linear non-autonomous oscillators of the form , where g(x) and are arbitrary non-linear functions of their arguments, and ε can take arbitrary values. Limit cycles of the oscillators can be calculated to any desired degree of accuracy and their stabilities are determined by the Floquet theory. Branch switching at period-doubling bifurcation along a frequency-response curve is made simple by the present method. Subsequent continuation of an emanating branch is also discussed.     

Some new classes of inverse coefficient problems in non-linear mechanics and computational material science

Three classes of inverse coefficient problems arising in engineering mechanics and computational material science are considered. Mathematical models of all considered problems are proposed within the J₂-deformation theory of plasticity. The first class is related to the determination of unknown elastoplastic properties of a beam from a limited number of torsional experiments. The inverse problem here consists of identifying the unknown coefficient g(ξ²) (plasticity function) in the non-linear differential equation of torsional creep −(g(|∇u|²)u_x1)_x1−(g(|∇u|²)u_x2)_x2=2?, x∈Ω⊂R², from the torque (or torsional rigidity) T(?), given experimentally. The second class of inverse problems is related to the identification of elastoplastic properties of a 3D body from spherical indentation tests. In this case one needs to determine unknown Lame coefficients in the system of PDEs of non-linear elasticity, from the measured spherical indentation loading curve P=P(α), obtained during the quasi-static indentation test. In the third model an inverse problem of identifying the unknown coefficient g(ξ²(u)) in the non-linear bending equation is analyzed. The boundary measured data here is assumed to be the deflections w_i[τ_k]?w(λ_i;τ_k), measured during the quasi-static bending process, given by the parameter τ_k, , at some points , of a plate. An existence of weak solutions of all direct problems are derived in appropriate Sobolev spaces, by using monotone potential operator theory. Then monotone iteration schemes for all the linearized direct problems are proposed. Strong convergence of solutions of the linearized problems, as well as rates of convergence is proved. Based on obtained continuity property of the direct problem solution with respect to coefficients, and compactness of the set of admissible coefficients, an existence of quasi-solutions of all considered inverse problems is proved. Some numerical results, useful from the points of view of engineering mechanics and computational material science, are demonstrated.     

The Burgers vector and the flow of screw and edge dislocations in finite-deformation single-crystal plasticity

We consider finite plasticity based on the decomposition F=F^eF^p of the deformation gradient F into elastic and plastic distortions F^e and F^p. Within this framework the macroscopic Burgers vector may be characterized by the tensor field . We derive a natural convected rate for G associated with evolution of F^p and as our main result show that, for a single-crystal,

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temporal changes in G—as characterized by its convected time derivative—may be decomposed into temporal changes in distributions of screw and edge dislocations on the individual slip systems.

We discuss defect energies dependent on the densities of these distributions and show that corresponding thermodynamic forces are macroscopic counterparts of classical Peach-Koehler forces.