Dislocation transport and line length increase in averaged descriptions of dislocations

Crystal plasticity is the result of the motion and interaction of dislocations. There is, however, still a major gap between microscopic and mesoscopic simulations and continuum crystal plasticity models. Only recently a higher dimensional dislocation density tensor was defined which overcomes some drawbacks of earlier dislocation density measures. The evolution equation for this tensor can be considered as a continuum version of dislocation dynamics. We use this evolution equation to develop evolution equations for the total dislocation density and an average curvature which together govern a faithful representation of the dislocation kinematics without having to use extra dimensions

Screened empirical bond-order potentials for Si-C

Typical empirical bond-order potentials are short ranged and give ductile instead of brittle behavior for materials such as crystalline silicon or diamond. Screening functions can be used to increase the range of these potentials. We outline a general procedure to combine screening functions with bond-order potentials that does not require to refit any of the potential's properties. We use this approach to modify Tersoff's [Phys. Rev. B 39, 5566 (1989)], Erhart & Albe's [Phys. Rev. B 71, 35211 (2005)] and Kumagai et al.'s [Comp. Mater. Sci. 39, 457 (2007)] Si, C and Si-C potentials. The resulting potential formulations correctly reproduce brittle materials response, and give an improved description of amorphous phases

Stress correlations of dislocations in a double-pileup configuration: a continuum dislocation density approach – complas XII

Dislocation motion in the crystal lattice of materials is the basis for macroscopic plasticity. While continuum models for describing the role of dislocations in plasticity have existed for decades, only recently have the mathematical tools become available to describe ensembles of moving, oriented lines. These tools have allowed for the creation of a Continuum Dislocation Dynamics (CDD) theory describing a second-order dislocation density tensor, a higher order analog of the classical dislocation density tensor, and its evolution in time. In order to reduce the computational complexity of the theory, a simplified theory has also been developed, which more readily allows for a numerical implementation, useful for describing larger systems of dislocations. In order to construct a self-consistent implementation, several issues have to be resolved including calculation of the stress field of a system of dislocations, coarse graining, and boundary values. The present work deals with the implementation including treatment of the near- and far-field stresses caused by the dislocation density tensor as well as boundary value considerations. The implementation is then applied to a few simple benchmark problems, notably the double pileup of dislocations in 1D. Applications to more general problems are considered, as well as comparisons with analytical solutions to classical dislocation problems. Focus is placed on problems where analytical solutions as well as simulations of discrete dislocations are known which act, along with experimental results, as the basis of comparison to determine the validity of the results

Influence of Interstitial Oxygen on the Tribology of Ti6Al4V

Titanium alloys are used for their good mechanical and corrosion properties, but generally experience poor wear behavior. This can effectively be counteracted by a thermal oxidation treatment, reducing wear significantly. Employing a special sample preparation, we study the transition of tribological properties between thermally oxidized and bulk Ti6Al4V on a single sample. While oxygen signal intensity and hardness followed an exponential decay from the surface to bulk material, tribological results showed a step-like transition from low to high friction and wear with increasing distance from the surface. Low wear was associated with minor abrasive marks, whereas high wear showed as severe adhesive material transfer onto the steel counter body. Besides the mechanical property of hardness, also a change in fracture behavior by interstitial oxygen could influence the observed tribological behavior

Calibrating a fiber–matrix interface failure model to single fiber push-out tests and numerical simulations

To characterize the fiber–matrix interface of a glass-fiber reinforced sheet molding compound (SMC), single-fiber push-out tests are performed and simulated numerically. The parameters of a cohesive zone model for the interface are calibrated on the single-fiber push-out tests. The fracture-toughness/energy release rate therein is determined from cyclic (loading–unloading) experiments. The matrix model, consisting of the nonlinear-elastic Neo-Hooke law with a Prony series to model viscoelastic behavior, is calibrated with data from nanoindentation tests by adjusting simulation curves to their experimental counterparts. Using the calibrated model of the single-fiber push-out, the influence of neighboring fibers and thermally induced residual stresses is shown. The interface damage initiates in the single-fiber push-out test at the indented fiber at positions closest to other fibers under the surface. In addition this is the position where the radially largest fiber expansion due to the Poisson effect is found. The results reveal that although the push-out test is simple to perform, the interpretation of its results might be a complicated task