Effect of dislocation distribution in twin boundaries on the nucleation of microcracks at the twin tip

The effect of dislocation distribution in the boundaries of an arrested twin on the nucleation of microcracks at its tip is investigated. The twin is simulated by a double step pileup (cluster) of twinning dislocations located in adjacent slip planes. The equilibrium equations for dislocations are solved numerically. Clusters with different total numbers of dislocations and with different ratios of the numbers of dislocations at the upper and lower twin boundaries are considered. The formation of microcracks as a result of coalescence of head dislocations according to the force and thermally activated mechanisms is analyzed. The equilibrium configurations of a single twin boundary and of the twin are calculated. It is found that the condition for microcrack formation at the twin tip considerably depends on the ratio of the numbers of dislocations in twin boundaries. In the limit, this condition coincides with the condition of crack formation at the tip of a single twin boundary with the same total number of dislocations. It is shown that thermally activated formation of a microrack corresponds to lower values of the critical stress.