Computational crystal plasticity

To better predict material response associated with plastic deformations, plasticity models for behaviors over an extensive range of length scales are being combined to give a more comprehensive representation of the material. The breadth of the length scales naturally enters a more complete material description through the influences that features of the structure of many sizes have on the mechanical responses. The effective inclusion of material structure in simulations is pushing applied plasticity toward more highly quantitative implementations. Computed costs are greater in many respects, but the potential rewards are simulations with much greater relevance to current engineering applications. The focus of this paper is on a number of trends and issues related to these implementations and their use. In particular: we examine the methodologies for describing material structure at multiple scales within the context of simulation and discuss techniques used to compute properties and to evolve the state based on features of the structure. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.