Continuity in the Plastic Strain Rate and its Influence on Texture Evolution

Classical plasticity models evolve state variables in a spatially independent manner through (local) ordinary differen- 

tial equations, such as in the update of the rotation field in crystal plasticity. A continuity condition is derived for the 

lattice rotation field from a conservation law for Burgers vector content—a consequence of an averaged field theory 

of dislocation mechanics. This results in a nonlocal evolution equation for the lattice rotation field. The continuity 

condition provides a theoretical basis for assumptions of co-rotation models of crystal plasticity. The simulation of 

lattice rotations and texture evolution provides evidence for the importance of continuity in modeling of classical plas- 

ticity. The possibility of predicting continuous fields of lattice rotations with sharp gradients representing non-singular dislocation distributions within rigid viscoplasticity is discussed and computationally demonstrated.

Comments on the attached paper are greatly appreciated.