Application of the string method to compute minimum energy paths for a chain of bi-stable elements using the finite element method and molecular dynamics

Activated processes are frequently found in solid state mechanics. The energy landscape of such processes show a non-convex behaviour, and therefore the computation of energy barriers between two stable minima is of importance. Such barriers are revealed by computing minimum energy paths. The string method is a simple and efficient algorithm to move curves over an energy landscape and to identify minimum energy paths. A hierarchical two-scale model recently introduced to the literature (molecular dynamics coupled with the finite element method) is used in this paper to investigate the string method in a model phase transition in a copper single crystal. To do so, bi-stable elements are constructed and the energetic behaviour of a two-elements chain is investigated. We identify successfully the minimum energy path between two local stable minima of the chain and demonstrate thereby the performance of the string method applied to a complex multiscale model. (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)