A finite-deformation constitutive model of bulk metallic glass plasticity

A constitutive model of bulk metallic glass (BMG) plasticity is developed which accounts for finitedeformation kinematics, the kinetics of free volume, strain hardening, thermal softening, rate-dependency and non-Newtonian viscosity. The model has been validated against uniaxial compression test data; and against plate bending experiments. The model captures accurately salient aspects of the material behavior including: the viscosity of Vitreloy 1 as a function of temperature and strain rate; the temperature and strain-rate dependence of the equilibrium free-volume concentration; the uniaxial compression stress-strain curves as a function of strain rate and temperature; and the dependence of shear-band spacing on plate thickness. Calculations suggest that, under adiabatic conditions, strain softening and localization in BMGs is due both to an increase in free volume and to the rise in temperature within the band. The calculations also suggest that the shear band spacing in plate-bending specimens is controlled by the stress relaxation in the vicinity of the shear bands.