The inhomogeneity of plastic deformation

Considerable local strain differences occur in single crystals as a consequence of slip bands. A significant contribution to this phenomenon is the effect of the deformation rate on the inhomogeneity of its distribution. In polycrystalline materials the plastic deformation is affected by grain boundaries and their vicinity as well as by various orientations of single grains in onephase metals and alloys, and by various component properties in multiphase materials. In some cases it has been possible to describe these phenomena by means of micromechanics. Valuable information has also been acquired by means of three-dimensional stereology.