Strain concentrations in tensile,fatigue and fracture behaviour

Abstract

A critical survey has been made of tensile, fracture, shear banding and fatigue measurements and their interpretations reported for different types of materials and test conditions. The mechanical properties of the materials are shown to be largely determined by microscopic plastic strain concentrations which depend on the inhomogeneity of the material microstructure, especially including importantly inhomogeneity of the dislocation substructure. Understanding this inhomogeneity is shown to provide a number of connections between seemingly disparate phenomena. The evolution of the dislocation substructure and its relationship to crystallography and various levels of microstructure are critically important. Professor Cottrell made seminal contributions to understanding the fundamental mechanisms involved in determining such strain concentrations. His work continues to provide clarity and guidance to current research accomplishments.