Long range internal stresses in single-phase crystalline materials

Backstresses, or long range internal stresses (LRISs), have been suggested by many to exist in plastically deformed crystalline materials. Elevated stresses may be present in regions of elevated dislocation density or dislocation heterogeneities in the deformed microstructures. The heterogeneities include dislocation pile-ups, edge dislocation dipole bundles and cell walls in monotonically and cyclically deformed materials. The existence of LRIS is especially important for the understanding of cyclic deformation and monotonic deformation. Theories and supporting experiments for assessing LRIS will all be discussed in this review. This review includes several new developments over the past few years.