Static Unified Inelastic Model: pre- and post-yield dislocation-mediated deformation

Modelling dislocation glide over the initial part of a stress–strain curve of metals received little attention up to now. However, dislocation glide is essential to ones understanding of the fundamental relationship between inelastic deformation and the evolution of the dislocation network structure. Therefore, we present a model of dislocation-driven deformation under static loading conditions. We reproduce repeated cyclic uniaxial tensile tests on Interstitial-Free and Low-Alloy steels. The elastic mechanical behaviour is described by isotropic linear elasticity, pre-yield anelastic mechanical behaviour by a dislocation bow-out model with dissipation, and the post-yield evolution of dislocation network structure by a statistical storage model. We hypothesise that when the local anelastic compliance is lower than the global plastic compliance, deformation is mechanically recoverable, and vice versa. This hypothesis is corroborated with the classical Taylor relation. We report the relation between stable and unstable dislocation glide using this prototypical modelling framework. We find four structural variables, that are based on dislocation physics, to describe the stress–strain curve: total dislocation density, average dislocation segment length, dislocation junction formation rate, and average dislocation junction length. Firstly, we quantify the dislocation network evolution during uniaxial monotonic loading, and verify work-hardening by dislocation junction formation and a Taylor-type equation for flow. Finally, we present a semi-empirical relation for the evolution of the dislocation network structure. Which allows us to: refine the physical interpretation of the Taylor relationship, and rationalise experimental observations on apparent modulus degradation by thermomechanical processing. Both these findings circumvent the limitations of current, physics-based hardening models.