The problem of the collective behavior of straight parallel edge dislocations was investigated. Starting from the equation of motion of individual dislocations a continuum description

dislocation interactions on the dislocation dynamics could be well described by a local back stress which scales like the square root of dislocation density plus a non-local diffusion-like term. The value of the corresponding diffusion coefficient was determined numerically.

Spatial Correlations and Higher-Order Gradient Terms in a Continuum Description of Dislocation Dynamics. I.Groma, F.F.Csikor, M.Zaiser: Acta Materialia, 2003, 51[5], 1271-81