On XFEM applications to dislocations and interfaces

A method for modelling dislocations in systems with arbitrary materials interfaces is described. The method is based on the extended finite element method (XFEM) where dislocations are modelled in the manner of the Volterra dislocation model. A method for calculating the Peach-Koehler force by J-integrals in this framework is studied. The method is compared to closed form solutions for interface problems and excellent accuracy is obtained. The convergence and accuracy of the method is studied in two problems where analytical solutions are available: an edge dislocation interacting with a free-surface and an edge dislocation interacting with a bimaterial interface. The applicability of the method to more complicated problems is illustrated by the modelling of slip misorientation of an edge dislocation with a glide plane intersecting a material interface and dislocations in a multi-material domain with non-parallel interfaces. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.