A STOCHASTIC-MODEL FOR CONTINUUM ELASTOPLASTIC BEHAVIOR .1. NUMERICALAPPROACH AND STRAIN LOCALIZATION

A 2D model, in which plastic flow is treated as a stochastic sequence of local inelastic transformations, is proposed. In this model interna l elastic stresses, resulting from such inelastic transformations, are explicitly amounted for, and an effective computer code for numerical simulation of plastic flow at arbitrary temperature and loading condi tions is developed. The transition from diffuse high-temperature flow to well localized low-temperature flow is a natural result of the mode l. Various kinetic and structural aspects of plasticity in the model 2 D solid at different temperatures are discussed. The model that is dev eloped is primarily initiation controlled, and represents well the pro perties of amorphous media. It is to be distinguished from mobility-co ntrolled plasticity involving dislocation glide. In its manifestations , however, the distinction becomes blurred.