2002/03/20 by J. P. Sethna, Sethna, J. P., M. Rauscher +3
Physics and Astronomy · #Condensed Matter (cond-mat) #FOS: Physical sciences #cond-mat
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/0203397
7 pages, 5 .eps figures. submitted to Europhysics Letters
arxiv created 2002/10/29 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30
We present a simple mesoscale field theory inspired by rate-independent plasticity that reflects the symmetry of the deformation process. We parameterize the plastic deformation by a scalar field which evolves with loading. The evolution equation for that field has the form of a Hamilton-Jacobi equation which gives rise to cusp-singularity formation. These cusps introduce irreversibilities analogous to those seen in plastic deformation of real materials: we observe a yield stress, work hardening, reversibility under unloading, and cell boundary formation.