A theory of strain-gradient plasticity for isotropic, plastically irrotational materials. II: Finite deformations (Q2576051)

This paper generalizes to finite deformations our companion paper [\textit{M. E. Gurtin} and \textit{L. Anand}, A theory of strain-gradient plasticity for isotropic, plastically irrotational materials. I: Small deformations. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 53, No. 7, 1624--1649 (2005; Zbl 1120.74353)]. Specifically, we develop a gradient theory for finite-deformation isotropic viscoplasticity in the absence of plastic spin. The theory is based on the Kröner-Lee decomposition \(\mathbf F = \mathbf F^e\mathbf F^p\) of the deformation gradient into elastic and plastic parts; a system of microstresses consistent with a microforce balance; a mechanical version of the second law that includes, via microstresses, work performed during viscoplastic flow; a constitutive theory that allows: -- the microstresses to depend on backward \(\nabla D^p\), the gradient of the plastic stretching, -- the free energy \(\psi\) to depend on the Burgers tensor \(\mathbf G = \mathbf F^p\text{Curl} \mathbf F^p.\) The microforce balance when augmented by constitutive relations for the microstresses results in a nonlocal flow rule in the form of a tensorial second-order partial differential equation for \(\mathbf F^p\). The microstresses are strictly dissipative when \(\psi\) is independent of the Burgers tensor, but when \(\psi\) depends on \(\mathbf G\) the microstresses are partially energetic, and this, in turn, leads to backstresses and (hence) Bauschinger-effects in the flow rule. The typical macroscopic boundary conditions are supplemented by nonstandard microscopic boundary conditions associated with viscoplastic flow, and, as an aid to numerical solution, a weak (virtual power) formulation of the nonlocal flow rule is derived. Finally, the dependences of the microstresses on backward \(\nabla D^p\) are shown, analytically, to result in strengthening and possibly weakening of the body induced by viscoplastic flow.