On Plane Strain-gradient Plasticity Problem Accounting for Energetic Microforces

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of energetic microforces on the plane strain problems of viscoplastic bodies. The strain-gradient plasticity theory of the Gurtin-Anand model is considered and slightly modified to account for an energetic microforce whose energy-conjugate is the divergence of the plastic strain. The modified model, gives rise to a flow rule of viscoplastic bodies which accounts for two energetic length scales associated with polar and vector microstresses through quadratic form of the defect energy. It is shown that there are no volumetric changes accompanied by elastic deformation whenever the energetic length scales are equal.