Continuum Theory of Dislocations Versus Finite Element Method

Abstract

The computer simulation of elastic-plastic deformations induced by crystal defect motion is presented. The constitutive model relates the driving forces with dislocation velocities.
The model makes use of the coupling between the plastic deformation rate and the dislocation velocity. Given a crystal under certain boundary and initial conditions the evolution of both dislocation field and elastic-plastic deformations is obtained by solving the coupled system of equations resulting from the equilibrium equation and the dislocation balance for each time step. The set of equations is discretized by the finite
element method. As an example the movement of edge dislocation field inducing shear band deformation in a monocrystal is considered.