Asymptotic fields in steady crack growth with linear strain-hardening

The asymptotic stress and velocity fields of a crack propagating steadily and quasi-statically into an elastic-plastic material are presented. The material is characterized by J₂-flow theory with linear strain- hardening. The possibility of reloading on the crack flanks is taken into account. The cases of anti-plane strain (mode III), plane strain (modes I and II), and plane stress (modes I and II) are considered. Numerical results are given for the strength of the singularity and for the distribution of the stress and velocity fields in the plastic loading, elastic unloading and plastic reloading regions, as functions of the strain-hardening parameter. An attempt is made to make a connection with the perfectly-plastic solutions in the limit of vanishing strain-hardening.     

Size-dependent yield strength of thin films

Biaxial strain and pure shear of a thin film are analysed using a strain gradient plasticity theory presented by Gudmundson [Gudmundson, P., 2004. A unified treatment of strain gradient plasticity. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 52, 1379–1406]. Constitutive equations are formulated based on the assumption that the free energy only depends on the elastic strain and that the dissipation is influenced by the plastic strain gradients. The three material length scale parameters controlling the gradient effects in a general case are here represented by a single one. Boundary conditions for plastic strains are formulated in terms of a surface energy that represents dislocation buildup at an elastic/plastic interface. This implies constrained plastic flow at the interface and it enables the simulation of interfaces with different constitutive properties. The surface energy is also controlled by a single length scale parameter, which together with the material length scale defines a particular material.Numerical results reveal that a boundary layer is developed in the film for both biaxial and shear loading, giving rise to size effects. The size effects are strongly connected to the buildup of surface energy at the interface. If the interface length scale is small, the size effect vanishes. For a stiffer interface, corresponding to a non-vanishing surface energy at the interface, the yield strength is found to scale with the inverse of film thickness.Numerical predictions by the theory are compared to different experimental data and to dislocation dynamics simulations. Estimates of material length scale parameters are presented.     

A two-dimensional dislocation dynamics model of the plastic deformation of polycrystalline metals

Two-dimensional dislocation dynamics (2D-DD) simulations under fully periodic boundary conditions are employed to study the relation between microstructure and strength of a material. The material is modeled as an elastic continuum that contains a defect microstructure consisting of a preexisting dislocation population, dislocation sources, and grain boundaries. The mechanical response of such a material is tested by uniaxially loading it up to a certain stress and allowing it to relax until the strain rate falls below a threshold. The total plastic strain obtained for a certain stress level yields the quasi-static stress-strain curve of the material. Besides assuming Frank-Read-like dislocation sources, we also investigate the influence of a pre-existing dislocation density on the flow stress of the model material. Our results show that - despite its inherent simplifications - the 2D-DD model yields material behavior that is consistent with the classical theories of Taylor and Hall-Petch. Consequently, if set up in a proper way, these models are suited to study plastic deformation of polycrystalline materials.     

Exact solution of rotating FGM shaft problem in the elastoplastic state of stress

Plane strain analytical solutions to estimate purely elastic, partially plastic and fully plastic deformation behavior of rotating functionally graded (FGM) hollow shafts are presented. The modulus of elasticity of the shaft material is assumed to vary nonlinearly in the radial direction. Tresca’s yield criterion and its associated flow rule are used to formulate three different plastic regions for an ideal plastic material. By considering different material compositions as well as a wide range of bore radii, it is demonstrated in this article that both the elastic and the elastoplastic responses of a rotating FGM hollow shaft are affected significantly by the material nonhomogeneity.     

Verification of the transferability of micromechanical parameters by cell model calculations with visco-plastic materials

Finite element (FE) calculations of a cylindrical cell containing a spherical hole have been performed under large strain conditions for varying triaxiality with three different constitutive models for the matrix material, i.e. rate independent plastic material with isotropic hardening, visco-plastic material under both isothermal and adiabatic conditions, and porous plastic material with a second population of voids nucleating strain controlled. The “mesoscopic” stress-strain and void growth responses of the cell are compared with predictions of the modified Gurson model in order to study the effects of varying triaxiality and strain rate on the critical void volume fraction. The interaction of two different sizes of voids was modelled by changing the strain level for nucleation and the stress triaxiality. The study confirms that the void volume fraction at void coalescence does not depend significantly on the triaxiality if the initial volume fraction of the primary voids is small and if there are no secondary voids. The strain rate does not affect f_c either. The results also indicate that a single internal variable, f, is not sufficient to characterize the fracture processes in materials containing two different size-scales of void nucleating particles.     

The strain rate intensity factor in the plane strain compression of thin anisotropic metal strip

Using an available analytic solution for instantaneous plane strain compression of a plastically anisotropic strip between two parallel plates the strain rate intensity factor is found assuming Hill’s quadratic yield criterion. The distribution of material properties is uniform. The effect of parameters characterizing plastic anisotropy of the strip on the magnitude of the strain rate intensity factor is demonstrated. A possibility to replace the strain rate intensity factor with the plastic work rate intensity factor is discussed. Singular behavior of the plastic spin in the vicinity of the friction surface is revealed and discussed.     

Irreversible deformation and subsequent unloading of a spherical elastoviscoplastic layer

Analytical solutions of a number of one-dimensional quasi-static problems that describe the processes of elastic deformation of the material of a hollow sphere and of generation and development of the plastic flow in this material with increasing pressure on the external boundary are presented. The process of unloading during slow removal of the loading pressure is studied. Stress fields, fields of elastic and plastic strains in the material of the spherical layer, the law of motion of the elastoplastic boundary, and residual stresses are determined. It is demonstrated that (in contrast to the ideal plasticity case) the allowance for the viscous properties of the material during its plastic flow eliminates the possibility of plastic flow emergence during unloading.     

Plastic Incompressibility of Anisotropic Material

Some characteristics of an initially anisotropic aluminum alloy are investigated. The coefficients of transverse elastoplastic and plastic strain are calculated. It is established that the coefficients of transverse plastic strain are much different from 0.5 in directions that are not in the plane of isotropy. It is also shown that the material is plastically incompressible. The possibility of using Hill’s theory of flow with isotropic hardening to describe the inelastic behavior of the material is examinedThe study was partially sponsored by the State Fund for Basic Research of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (Grant No. 01.07/00010).__________Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 41, No. 3, pp. 38–45, March 2005.     

YIELD SURFACES AND PLASTIC FLOW OF 45 STEEL UNDER TENSION-TORSION LOADING PATHS

An experimental analysis on the subsequent yield-surfaces evolution using multiple specimens is presented for a 45 steel after a prescribed pre-strain loading in three different directions respectively, and the yielding is defined by a designated offsetting strain. The size of the subsequent yield surface is found smaller than the initial yield surface; the negative cross effects are observed in the normal loading direction, its shape is not a Mises circle but has a rather blunt nose in loading direction and flat in the opposite. These results strongly depend on the loading path and the prescribed offset plastic strain. The plastic flow direction to the subsequent yield surface is investigated, and it is found that the plastic flow direction deviates from the normal flow rule. The deviation differs from preloading case to preloading case. And the plastic flow direction would have a larger deviation from the normal of the yield surface, if the subsequent yield was defined by a smaller offset strain. Furthermore, the experiments are simulated using the Chaboche model, and the results show that it can rationally predict yield-surface only when yield is defined by a fairly large offset strain.     

A nonlocal strain gradient plasticity theory for finite deformations

Strain gradient plasticity for finite deformations is addressed within the framework of nonlocal continuum thermodynamics, featured by the concepts of (nonlocality) energy residual and globally simple material. The plastic strain gradient is assumed to be physically meaningful in the domain of particle isoclinic configurations (with the director vector triad constant both in space and time), whereas the objective notion of corotational gradient makes it possible to compute the plastic strain gradient in any domain of particle intermediate configurations. A phenomenological elastic–plastic constitutive model is presented, with mixed kinematic/isotropic hardening laws in the form of PDEs and related higher order boundary conditions (including those associated with the moving elastic/plastic boundary). Two fourth-order projection tensor operators, functions of the elastic and plastic strain states, are shown to relate the skew-symmetric parts of the Mandel stress and back stress to the related symmetric parts. Consistent with the thermodynamic restrictions therein derived, the flow laws for rate-independent associative plasticity are formulated in a six-dimensional tensor space in terms of symmetric parts of Mandel stresses and related work-conjugate generalized plastic strain rates. A simple shear problem application is presented for illustrative purposes.     

An analysis of the shear failure of rigid-linear hardening beams under impulsive loading

A theoretical rigid-plastic analysis for the dynamic shear failure of beams under impulsive loading is presented when using a travelling plastic shear hinge model which takes into account material strain hardening. The maximum dynamic shear strain and shear strain-rate can be predicted in addition to the permanent transverse deflections and other parameters. The conditions for the three modes of shear failure, i.e., excess deflection failure, excess shear strain failure and adiabatic shear failure are analyzed. The special case of an infinitesimally small plastic zone is discussed and compared with Nonaka's solution for a rigid, perfectly plastic material. The results can also be generalized to examine the dynamic response of fibre-reinforced beams.     

Size-effects on yield surfaces for micro reinforced composites

Size effects in heterogeneous materials are studied using a rate independent higher order strain gradient plasticity theory, where strain gradient effects are incorporated in the free energy of the material. Numerical studies are carried out using a finite element method, where the components of the plastic strain tensor appear as free variables in addition to the displacement variables. Non-conventional boundary conditions are applied at material interfaces to model a constraint on plastic flow due to dislocation blocking. Unit cell calculations are carried out under generalized plane strain conditions. The homogenized response of a material with cylindrical reinforcing fibers is analyzed for different values of the internal material length scale and homogenized yield surfaces are presented. While the main focus is on initial yield surfaces, subsequent yield surfaces are also presented. The center of the yield surface is tracked under uniaxial loading both in the transverse and longitudinal directions and an anisotropic Bauschinger effect is shown to depend on the size of the fibers. Results are compared to conventional predictions, and size-effects on the kinematic hardening are accentuated.     

Evolution of strain localization in glassy polymers: A numerical study

An explicit numerical implementation is described, for a constitutive model of glassy polymers, previously proposed and validated. Then it is exploited within a Finite Element continuum model, to simulate spontaneous strain localization (necking) occurring during extension of a prismatic bar of a typical glassy polymer. Material parameters for atactic polystyrene are employed. The material model is physically based and highly non-linearly viscoelastic. Three of its principal features are critical in simulations of strain localization: rate-dependence of plastic flow stress; strain-induced structural rejuvenation, represented by increase of Tool’s fictive temperature and leading to pronounced post-yield strain softening; and molecular alignment during extension, giving rise to strain-hardening. In all simulations there is a peak in nominal stress, satisfying the condition for localization to occur. Nevertheless, the simulations show that the process of strain localization varies considerably, depending on details of the extension sequence and on assumed values for certain material parameters. A characteristic feature observed is that strain localization in such a material occurs in two stages. There is an initial spurt associated with strain-softening, followed by a slower growth of localization that eventually subsides, ultimately giving way to uniform extension of the neck. But the details of evolution of the strain distribution vary greatly. The rapidity and severity of localization are increased by decreased temperature, increased strain-rate or greater structural rejuvenation. A simple one-dimensional stability analysis is successful in explaining the results.     

基于能量等效原理的应变局部化分析:Ⅰ.一维解析解

基于热力学第一定律和非局部塑性理论,提出了一种求解应变局部化问题的非局部方法.对材料的每一点定义了局部和非局部两种状态空间,局部状态空间的内变量通过非局部权函数映射到非局部空间,成为非局部内变量.在应变软化过程中,局部状态空间中的塑性变形服从正交流动法则,材料的软化律在非局部状态空间中被引入.通过两个状态空间的塑性应变能耗散率的等效,得到了应变软化过程中明确定义的局部化区域以及其中的塑性应变分布.应用本方法导出了一维应变局部化问题的解析解.解析解表明,应变局部化区域的尺寸只与材料内尺度有关;对于高斯型非局部权函数,局部化区域的尺寸大约是材料内尺度的6倍.一维算例表明,局部化区域的塑性应变分布以及载荷-位移曲线仅与材料参数和结构几何尺寸有关,变形局部化区域的尺寸随着材料内尺度的减小而减小,同时塑性应变也随着材料内尺度的减小变得更加集中.当内尺度趋近于零时,应用本文方法得到的解与采用传统的局部塑性理论得到的解相同.     

A thermodynamic approach to nonlinear ultrasonics for material state awareness and prognosis

We develop a thermodynamic framework for modeling nonlinear ultrasonic damage sensing and prognosis in materials undergoing progressive damage. The framework is based on the internal variable approach and relies on the construction of a pseudo-elastic strain energy function that captures the energetics associated with the damage progression. The pseudo-elastic strain energy function is composed of two energy functions—one that describes how a material stores energy in an elastic fashion and the other describes how material dissipates energy or stores it in an inelastic fashion. Experimental motivation for the choice of the above two functionals is discussed and some specific choices pertaining to damage progression during fatigue and creep are presented. The thermodynamic framework is employed to model the nonlinear response of material undergoing stress relaxation and creep-like degradation. For each of the above cases, evolution of the nonlinearity parameter with damage as well as with macroscopic measurables like accumulated plastic strain is obtained.     

The appropriate corotational rate, exact formula for the plastic spin and constitutive model for finite elastoplasticity

The exact formulae for the plastic and the elastic spin referred to the deformed configuration are derived, where the plastic spin is a function of the plastic strain rate and the elastic spin a function of the elastic strain rate. With these exact formulae we determine the macroscopic substructure spin that allows us to define the appropriate corotational rate for finite elastoplasticity.Plastic, elastic and substructure spin are considered and simplified for various sub-classes of restricted elastic-plastic strains. It is shown that for the special cases of rigid-plasticity and hypoelasticity the proposed corotational rate is identical with the Green-Naghdi rate, while the ZarembaJaumann rate yields a good approximation for moderately large strains.To compare our exact plastic spin formula with the constitutive assumption for the plastic spin introduced by Dafalias and others, we simplify our result for small elastic-moderate plastic strains and introduce a simplest evolution law for kinematic hardening leading to the Dafalias formula and to an exact determination of its unknown coefficient. It is also shown that contrary to statements in the literature the plastic spin is not zero for vanishing kinematic hardening.For isotropic-elastic material with induced plastic flow undergoing isotropic and kinematic hardening constitutive and evolution laws are proposed. Elastic and plastic Lagrangean and Eulerian logarithmic strain measures are introduced and their material time derivatives and corotational rates, respectively, are considered. Finally, the elastic-plastic tangent operator is derived.The presented theory is implemented in a solution algorithm and numerically applied to the simple shear problem for finite elastic-finite plastic strains as well as for sub-classes of restricted strains. The results are compared with those of the literature and with those obtained by using other corotational rates.     

A generalized formulation of the concept of nonhardening region

A stable hysteresis loop is realized under a cyclic loading between fixed strain limits for metals. To describe this phenomenon the idea of memory hypersphere was proposed by Chabocheet al. [1979] and it has been extended by Ohno [1982] as the concept of nonhardening (strain) region, which assumes that an isotropic hardening does not proceed when a plastic strain exists inside a hypersphere in the plastic strain space. A generalized formulation for this concept is presented in this article, which concerns isotropic-kinematic hardening materials, not limited to metals, undergoing a large deformation with a material rotation.     

Influence of void nucleation on ductile shear fracture at a free surface

An approximate continuum model of a ductile, porous material is used to study the influence of the nucleation and growth of micro-voids on the formation of shear bands and the occurrence of surface shear fracture in a solid subject to plane strain tension. Bifurcation into diffuse modes is analysed for a plane strain tensile specimen described by these constitutive relations, which account for a considerable plastic dilatancy due to void growth and for the possibility of non-normality of the plastic flow law. In particular, bifurcation into surface wave modes and the possible influence of such modes triggering shear bands is investigated. For solids with initial imperfactions such as a surface undulation, a local material inhomogeneity on an inclusion colony, the inception and growth of plastic flow localization is analysed numerically. Both the formation of void-sheets and the final growth of cracks in the shear bands is described numerically. Some special features of shear band development in the solid obeying non-normality are studied by a simple model problem.     

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.     

Investigation of mechanically attrited structures induced by repeated impacts on an AISI1045 steel

Under repeated impact loadings – shot peening process, surface mechanical attrition treatment, erosive wear – metallic surfaces undergo severe plastic deformation which leads sometimes to a local change of their microstructure. These mechanically attrited structures (MAS) exhibit very interesting physical properties: high hardness, better tribological properties, etc. Consequently it is of primary importance to understand the mechanism explaining how these MAS are created and grow under such loadings. In this article, this mechanism is investigated with the help of a coupled experimental and finite element approach. First, the MAS are generated on an AISI1045 steel with a micro-impact tester which allows to know the impact energy and the location of impacts with a very good accuracy. The evolution of the MAS shape as a function of the impact number is presented. Then, the finite element investigation is presented. It is shown that a macroscopic stabilized elastic regime is reached after one hundred impacts. It also appears that a close cycle of plastic strain is observed locally in the zone where material transformation should happen during this regime. The severe plastic deformation achieved after a given number of cycles may thus explain the material transformation. Based on these results, we propose a mechanism based on a plastic strain threshold to explain the growth of the MAS. The resulting MAS size and shape appear to be in very good agreement with the experimental results. Finally, we conclude on the influence of the mechanical parameters that are involved in the proposed mechanism.