Void growth and interaction in crystalline materials

An inelastic rate-dependent crystalline constitutive formulation and specialized computational schemes have been developed and used to obtain a detailed understanding of the interrelated physical mechanisms that can result in ductile material failure in rate-dependent porous crystalline materials subjected to finite inelastic deformations. The effects of void growth and interaction and specimen necking on material failure have been investigated for a single material cell, with a discrete cluster of four voids, where geometrical parameters have been varied to result in seven unique periodic and random void arrangements. The interrelated effects of void distribution and geometry, strain hardening, geometrical softening, localized plastic strains and slip-rates, and hydrostatic stresses on failure paths and ligament damage in face centered cubic (f.c.c.) crystalline materials have been studied. Results from this study are consistent with experimental observations that ductile failure can occur either due to void growth parallel to the stress axis, which results in void coalescence normal to the stress axis, or void interaction along bands, which are characterized by intense shear-strain localization and that intersect the free surface at regions of extensive specimen necking.