Isotropic strain gradient plasticity model based on self-energies of dislocations and the Taylor model for plastic dissipation

Abstract

A dislocation mechanics based isotropic strain gradient plasticity model is developed. The model is derived from self-energies of dislocations and the Taylor model for plastic dissipation. It is shown that the same microstructural length scale emerges for both the energetic and the dissipative parts of the model. Apart from a non-dimensional factor of the order of unity, the length scale is defined as the Burgers vector divided by the strain for initiation of plastic deformation. When the structural length scale approaches this microstructural length scale, strengthening effects result. The present model predicts an increased initial yield stress that is controlled by the energetic contribution. For larger plastic strains, the hardening is governed by the dissipative part of the model. The theory is specialized to the simple load cases of tension with a passivation layer that prohibits plastic deformation on the surfaces as well as pure bending with free and fixed boundary conditions for plastic strain. Simulations of initial yield stress for varying thicknesses are compared to experimental observations reported in the literature. It is shown that the model in a good way can capture the length scale dependencies. Also upper bound solutions are presented for a spherical void in an infinite volume as well as torsion of a cylindrical rod. The model is as well applied to derive a prediction for the Hall–Petch effect.