Finite elastic-plastic deformation of polycrystalline metals

Applying Hill’s self-consistent method to finite elastic-plastic deformations, we estimate the overall moduli of polycrystalline solids. The model predicts a Bauschinger effect, hardening, and formation of vertex or corner on the yield surface for both microscopically non-hardening and hardening crystals. The changes in the instantaneous moduli with deformation are examined, and their asymptotic behaviour, especially in relation to possible localization of deformations, is discussed. An interesting conclusion is that small second-order quantities, such as shape changes of grains and residual stresses (measured relative to the crystal elastic moduli), have a first-order effect on the overall response, as they lead to a loss of the overall stability by localized deformation. The predicted incipience of localization for a uniaxial deformation in two dimensions depends on the initial yield strain, but the orientation of localization is slightly less than 45° with respect to the tensile direction, although the numerical instability makes it very difficult to estimate this direction accurately.