CHARACTERIZATION OF DISLOCATIONS AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON PLASTIC-DEFORMATION IN SINGLE-CRYSTALS

After providing a rapid summary of some of the main results from a rec ently constructed theory of structured solids in [1], attention is foc ussed on the characterization of dislocations and the influence of dis location density on plastic deformation G(p) by crystallographic slip in single crystals. The dislocation density is identified in terms of Curl G(p) and some (but not all) of the results established for the ki nematics of crystallographic slip have their counterparts in the tradi tional developments of crystal plasticity. A two-dimensional crystal u ndergoing planar motion is used to illustrate predictive capabilities of the theory presented. It may be emphasized that the theory utilized here is applicable to materials of widely varying strengths and harde ning characteristics, including ordered intermetallic alloys whose mec hanical behavior is primarily governed by the dislocations (through Cu rl G(p) and not by plastic deformation itself.