Size effects and idealized dislocation microstructure at small scales: Predictions of a Phenomenological model of Mesoscopic Field Dislocation Mechanics: Part I

A Phenomenological Mesoscopic Field Dislocation Mechanics (PMFDM) model is developed, extending continuum plasticity theory for studying initial-boundary value problems of small-scale plasticity. PMFDM results from an elementary space-time averaging of the equations of Field Dislocation Mechanics (FDM), followed by a closure assumption from any strain-gradient plasticity model that attempts to account for effects of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) only in work hardening. The specific lower-order gradient plasticity model chosen to substantiate this work requires one additional material parameter compared to its conventional continuum plasticity counterpart. The further addition of dislocation mechanics requires no additional material parameters. The model (a) retains the constitutive dependence of the free-energy only on elastic strain as in conventional continuum plasticity with no explicit dependence on dislocation density, (b) does not require higher-order stresses, and (c) does not require a constitutive specification of a ‘back-stress’ in the expression for average dislocation velocity/plastic strain rate. However, long-range stress effects of average dislocation distributions are predicted by the model in a mechanistically rigorous sense. Plausible boundary conditions (with obvious implication for corresponding interface conditions) are discussed in some detail from a physical point of view. Energetic and dissipative aspects of the model are also discussed. The developed framework is a continuous-time model of averaged dislocation plasticity, without having to rely on the notion of incremental work functions, their convexity properties, or their minimization. The tangent modulus relating stress rate and total strain rate in the model is the positive-definite tensor of linear elasticity, and this is not an impediment to the development of idealized microstructure in the theory and computations, even when such a convexity property is preserved in a computational scheme. A model of finite deformation, mesoscopic single crystal plasticity is also presented, motivated by the above considerations.Lower-order gradient plasticity appears as a constitutive limit of PMFDM, and the development suggests a plausible boundary condition on the plastic strain rate for this limit that is appropriate for the modeling of constrained plastic flow in three-dimensional situations.     

A mathematical basis for strain-gradient plasticity theory—Part I: Scalar plastic multiplier

Strain-gradient plasticity theories are reviewed in which some measure of the plastic strain rate is treated as an independent kinematic variable. Dislocation arguments are invoked in order to provide a physical basis for the hardening at interfaces. A phenomenological, flow theory version of gradient plasticity is constructed in which stress measures, work-conjugate to plastic strain and its gradient, satisfy a yield condition. Plastic work is also done at internal interfaces and a yield surface is postulated for the work-conjugate stress quantities at the interface. Thereby, the theory has the potential to account for grain size effects in polycrystals. Both the bulk and interfacial stresses are taken to be dissipative in nature and due attention is paid to ensure that positive plastic work is done. It is shown that the mathematical structure of the elasto-plastic strain-gradient theory has similarities to conventional rigid-plasticity theory. Uniqueness and extremum principles are constructed for the solution of boundary value problems.     

A one-dimensional dynamic analysis of strain-gradient viscoplasticity

Based on the static theory of strain-gradient viscoplasticity proposed by Anand et al. (2005), a one-dimensional dynamic analysis is derived for finite element computation of isotropic hardening materials. The kinetic energy is assumed to be composed of the conventional and internal kinetic energy. The internal energy is described phenomenologically in terms of the equivalent plastic strain in order to capture the heterogeneity of plastic flow. Herein the microscopic density is assumed to be related to the macroscopic one through a microscopic-inertia parameter. The macroscopic-force balance and microscopic-force balance including inertia effects are derived. The performance of the proposed formulation is illustrated through the numerical simulation of a one-dimensional dynamic problem. A parameter study to find the microscopic-inertia parameter is carried out. At last, suitable microscopic boundary conditions and dynamic effects are discussed through comparison with the conventional plasticity.     

Debonding failure and size effects in micro-reinforced composites

Failure in micro-reinforced composites is investigated numerically using the strain-gradient plasticity theory of Gudmundson [Gudmundson, P., 2004. A unified treatment of strain gradient plasticity. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 52 (6) 1379–1406] in a plane strain visco-plastic formulation. Bi-axially loaded unit cells are used and failure is modeled using a cohesive zone at the reinforcement interface. During debonding a sudden stress drop in the overall average stress–strain response is observed. Adaptive higher-order boundary conditions are imposed at the reinforcement interface for realistically modeling the restrictions on moving dislocations as debonding occurs. It is found that the influence of the imposed higher-order boundary conditions at the interface is minor. If strain-gradient effects are accounted for a void with a smooth shape develops at the reinforcement interface while a smaller void having a sharp tip nucleates if strain-gradient effects are excluded. Using orthogonalization of the plastic strain gradient with three corresponding material length scales it is found that, the first length scale dominates the evaluated overall average stress–strain response, the second one only has a small effect and the third one has an intermediate effect. Finally, studies of reinforcement having elliptical cross-sections show rather significant gradients of stress which is not seen for the corresponding circular cross-sections. Also, an increased drop in the overall load carrying capacity is observed for cross-sections elongated perpendicular to the principal tensile direction compared to the corresponding circular cross-sections.     

A mathematical basis for strain-gradient plasticity theory. Part II: Tensorial plastic multiplier

A phenomenological, flow theory version of gradient plasticity for isotropic and anisotropic solids is constructed along the lines of Gudmundson [Gudmundson, P., 2004. A unified treatment of strain-gradient plasticity. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 52, 1379-1406]. Both energetic and dissipative stresses are considered in order to develop a kinematic hardening theory, which in the absence of gradient terms reduces to conventional J₂ flow theory with kinematic hardening. The dissipative stress measures, work-conjugate to plastic strain and its gradient, satisfy a yield condition with associated plastic flow. The theory includes interfacial terms: elastic energy is stored and plastic work is dissipated at internal interfaces, and a yield surface is postulated for the work-conjugate stress quantities at the interface. Uniqueness and extremum principles are constructed for the solution of boundary value problems, for both the rate-dependent and the rate-independent cases. In the absence of strain gradient and interface effects, the minimum principles reduce to the classical extremum principles for a kinematically hardening elasto-plastic solid. A rigid-hardening version of the theory is also stated and the resulting theory gives rise to an extension to the classical limit load theorems. This has particular appeal as previous trial fields for limit load analysis can be used to generate immediately size-dependent bounds on limit loads.     

Size effects in the conical indentation of an elasto-plastic solid

The size effect in conical indentation of an elasto-plastic solid is predicted via the Fleck and Willis formulation of strain gradient plasticity (Fleck, N.A. and Willis, J.R., 2009, A mathematical basis for strain gradient plasticity theory. Part II: tensorial plastic multiplier, J. Mech. Phys. Solids, 57, 1045–1057). The rate-dependent formulation is implemented numerically and the full-field indentation problem is analyzed via finite element calculations, for both ideally plastic behavior and dissipative hardening. The isotropic strain-gradient theory involves three material length scales, and the relative significance of these length scales upon the degree of size effect is assessed. Indentation maps are generated to summarize the sensitivity of indentation hardness to indent size, indenter geometry and material properties (such as yield strain and strain hardening index). The finite element model is also used to evaluate the pertinence of the Johnson cavity expansion model and of the Nix–Gao model, which have been extensively used to predict size effects in indentation hardness.     

On the Stress Field of a Nonlinear Elastic Solid Torus with a Toroidal Inclusion

Standard measures of local deformation such as deformation gradient, strain, elastic deformation, and plastic deformation are dimensionless. However, many macroscopic and submacroscopic geometrical changes observed in continuous bodies result in the formation of zones across whose boundaries significant changes in geometry can occur. In order to predict the sizes of such zones and their influence on material response, theories of elasticity and plasticity have been employed in which second gradients of deformation, gradients of strain, as well as gradients of elastic or of plastic deformation are taken into account. The theory of structured deformations provides additive decompositions of first deformation gradient and of second deformation gradient, valid for large deformations of any material, in which each term has a multiscale geometrical interpretation corresponding to the presence or absence of submacroscopic disarrangements (non-smooth geometrical changes such as slips and void formation). This article provides a field theory that broadens the earlier field theory, elasticity with disarrangements, by including energetic contributions from submacroscopic “gradient-disarrangements” (limits of averages of jumps in gradients of approximating deformations) and by treating particular kinematical conditions as internal constraints. An explicit formula is obtained showing the manner in which submacroscopic gradient-disarrangements determine a defectiveness density analogous to the dislocation density in theories of plasticity. A version of the new field theory incorporates this defectiveness density to obtain a counterpart of strain-gradient plasticity, while another instance of elasticity with gradient-disarrangements recovers an instance of strain-gradient elasticity with symmetric Cauchy stress. All versions of the new theory included here are compatible with the Second Law of Thermodynamics.     

Localization properties of strain-softening gradient plasticity models. Part I: Strain-gradient theories

This paper compares and evaluates strain-gradient extensions of the conventional plasticity theory. Attention is focused on the ability of individual formulations to act as localization limiters, i.e., to regularize the boundary value problem in the presence of softening and to prevent localization of plastic strain increments into a set of zero measure. To keep the presentation simple and to highlight the essential properties of the investigated models, only the static, rate-independent response in the small-strain range and in the one-dimensional setting is considered. These restrictions permit an analytical or semi-analytical treatment of the problem, while the basic characteristics of the solutions remain valid in the general, multi-dimensional case. The onset of localization is characterized as a bifurcation from a uniform state. The subsequent evolution of the localized process zone and of the shape of the strain profile is studied numerically. It is shown that certain pathologies, e.g., expansion of the plastic region accompanied by stress locking, may arise at later stages of localization. A similar analysis of models with gradients of internal variables is presented in a companion paper.     

The role of interfaces in enhancing the yield strength of composites and polycrystals

A deformation-theory version of strain-gradient plasticity is employed to assess the influence of microstructural scale on the yield strength of composites and polycrystals. The framework is that recently employed by Fleck and Willis (J. Mech. Phys. Solids 52 (2004) 1855-1888), but it is enhanced by the introduction of an interfacial “energy” that penalises the build-up of plastic strain at interfaces. The most notable features of the new interfacial potential are: (a) internal surfaces are treated as surfaces of discontinuity and (b) the scale-dependent enhancement of the overall yield strength is no longer limited by the “Taylor” or “Voigt” upper bound. The variational structure associated with the theory is developed in generality and its implications are demonstrated through consideration of simple one-dimensional examples. Results are presented for a single-phase medium containing interfaces distributed either periodically or randomly.     

Elastic constants for granular materials modeled as first-order strain-gradient continua

Formulation of a stress–strain relationship is presented for a granular medium, which is modeled as a first-order strain-gradient continuum. The elastic constants used in the stress–strain relationship are derived as an explicit function of inter-particle stiffness, particle size, and packing density. It can be demonstrated that couple-stress continuum is a subclass of strain-gradient continua. The derived stress–strain relationship is simplified to obtain the expressions of elastic constants for a couple-stress continuum. The derived stress–strain relationship is compared with that of existing theories on strain- gradient models. The effects of inter-particle stiffness and particle size on material constants are discussed.     

A thermodynamic based higher-order gradient theory for size dependent plasticity

A physically motivated and thermodynamically consistent formulation of small strain higher-order gradient plasticity theory is presented. Based on dislocation mechanics interpretations, gradients of variables associated with kinematic and isotropic hardenings are introduced. This framework is a two non-local parameter framework that takes into consideration large variations in the plastic strain tensor and large variations in the plasticity history variable; the equivalent (effective) plastic strain. The presence of plastic strain gradients is motivated by the evolution of dislocation density tensor that results from non-vanishing net Burgers vector and, hence, incorporating additional kinematic hardening (anisotropy) effects through lattice incompatibility. The presence of gradients in the effective (scalar) plastic strain is motivated by the accumulation of geometrically necessary dislocations and, hence, incorporating additional isotropic hardening effects (i.e. strengthening). It is demonstrated that the non-local yield condition, flow rule, and non-zero microscopic boundary conditions can be derived directly from the principle of virtual power. It is also shown that the local Clausius–Duhem inequality does not hold for gradient-dependent material and, therefore, a non-local form should be adopted. The non-local Clausius–Duhem inequality has an additional term that results from microstructural long-range energy interchanges between the material points within the body. A detailed discussion on the physics and the application of proper microscopic boundary conditions, either on free surfaces, clamped surfaces, or intermediate constrained surfaces, is presented. It is shown that there is a close connection between interface/surface energy of an interface or free surface and the microscopic boundary conditions in terms of microtraction stresses. Some generalities and utility of this theory are discussed and comparisons with other gradient theories are given. Applications of the proposed theory for size effects in thin films are presented.     

Finite element implementation and numerical issues of strain gradient plasticity with application to metal matrix composites

A framework of finite element equations for strain gradient plasticity is presented. The theoretical framework requires plastic strain degrees of freedom in addition to displacements and a plane strain version is implemented into a commercial finite element code. A couple of different elements of quadrilateral type are examined and a few numerical issues are addressed related to these elements as well as to strain gradient plasticity theories in general. Numerical results are presented for an idealized cell model of a metal matrix composite under shear loading. It is shown that strengthening due to fiber size is captured but strengthening due to fiber shape is not. A few modelling aspects of this problem are discussed as well. An analytic solution is also presented which illustrates similarities to other theories.     

用于板料成形反向模拟的特殊应力更新算法

提出了一种改进的反向模拟法,以最终构型为研究对象,采用Euler坐标系,基于虚功原理获得有限元列式. 改进的反向模拟法采用了一种基于塑性流动理论的本构方程,可以充分考虑应变历史对塑性变形的影响. 为了避免流动理论应力更新算法过程中关于未知量\Delta\lambda 的非线性方程的求解,引入等效应力思想,无需Newton-Raphson迭代直接计算未知量\Delta \lambda . 盒形件的拉深实例中,传统的基于塑性形变本构方程的反向模拟法和改进的基于塑性流动本构方程的反向模拟法计算结果,分别与基于增量有限元法的正向数值模拟求解器LS-DYNA计算结果进行对比. 通过获得的坯料轮廓、成形极限图、等效应变分布、计算效率等的比较,验证了所提出的基于塑性流动理论本构模型的应力更新算法的有效性.      

Orthotropic elastic–plastic material model for paper materials

Paper and paperboard generally exhibit anisotropic and non-linear mechanical material behaviour. In this work, the development of an orthotropic elastic–plastic constitutive model, suitable for modelling of the material behaviour of paper is presented. The anisotropic material behaviour is introduced into the model by orthotropic elasticity and an isotropic plasticity equivalent transformation tensor. A parabolic stress–strain relation is adopted to describe the hardening of the material. The experimental and numerical procedures for evaluation of the required material parameters for the model are described. Uniaxial tensile testing in three different inplane material directions provides the calibration of the material parameters under plane stress conditions. The numerical implementation of the material model is presented and the model is shown to perform well in agreement with experimentally observed mechanical behaviour of paper.     

A theory of linear plasticity for plane strain

A reformulation is made of the classical von Mises theory of plane strain rigid-perfect plasticity. The adoption of an anisotropic piecewise linear yield criterion results in two sets of field equations, each equivalent to the classical vibrating string equation. The development of the theory is routine. Certain properties of discontinuous stress and velocity fields are discussed, but the complete development of this aspect of the theory is not given here.By way of example, the complete solution of the classical rigid punch problem is presented.     

The role of dissipation and defect energy in variational formulations of problems in strain-gradient plasticity. Part 1: polycrystalline plasticity

A general set of flow laws and associated variational formulations are constructed for small-deformation rate-independent problems in strain-gradient plasticity. The framework is based on the thermodynamically consistent theory due to Gurtin and Anand (J Mech Phys Solids 53:1624–1649, 2005), and includes as variables a set of microstresses which have both energetic and dissipative components. The flow law is of associative type. It is expressed as a normality law with respect to a convex but otherwise arbitrary yield function, or equivalently in terms of the corresponding dissipation function. Two cases studied are, first, an extension of the classical Hill-Mises or J ₂ flow law and second, a form written as a linear sum of the magnitudes of the plastic strain and strain gradient. This latter form is motivated by work of Evans and Hutchinson (Acta Mater 57:1675–1688, 2009) and Nix and Gao (J Mech Phys Solids 46:411–425, 1998), who show that it leads to superior correspondence with experimental results, at least for particular classes of problems. The corresponding yield function is obtained by a duality argument. The variational problem is based on the flow rule expressed in terms of the dissipation function, and the problem is formulated as a variational inequality in the displacement, plastic strain, and hardening parameter. Dissipative components of the microstresses, which are indeterminate, are absent from the formulation. Existence and uniqueness of solutions are investigated for the generalized Hill-Mises and linear-sum dissipation functions, and for various combinations of defect energy. The conditions for well-posedness of the problem depend critically on the choice of dissipation function, and on the presence or otherwise of a defect energy in the plastic strain or plastic strain gradient, and of internal-variable hardening.     

Generalization of strain-gradient theory to finite elastic deformation for isotropic materials

This paper concerns finite deformation in the strain-gradient continuum. In order to take account of the geometric nonlinearity, the original strain-gradient theory which is based on the infinitesimal strain tensor is rewritten given the Green–Lagrange strain tensor. Following introducing the generalized isotropic Saint Venant–Kirchhoff material model for the strain-gradient elasticity, the boundary value problem is investigated in not only the material configuration but also the spatial configuration building upon the principle of virtual work for a three-dimensional solid. By presenting one example, the convergence of the strain-gradient and classical theories is studied.