Nonlocal continuum effects on bifurcation in the plane strain tension-compression test (Q1354937)

The paper examines nonlocal effects on bifurcation phenomena. A gradient plasticity model is used where a characteristic length is introduced in the yield criterion. Hill's well-known framework of bifurcation theory is shown to hold in the presence of normality, and a sufficient condition for uniqueness is given. Further, the regularizing effects of nonlocality are underlined. It is also shown that the underlying local continuum, obtained when the length scale goes to zero, always provides a lower bound for bifurcation stresses for the nonlocal continuum. Detailed analysis of bifurcation phenomena in the plane strain tension-compression test is carried out and compared to results for the local continuum.