The representation of plastic flow in the vicinity of an interfacial crack, in terms of the nucleation and glide of discrete dislocations, was reviewed. Attention was limited to cracks along a metal/ceramic interface; with the ceramic being treated as ideally rigid. Monotonic and fatigue loadings were considered. Attention was focused on the stress and deformation fields near to the crack tip, as predicted by discrete dislocation plasticity; in comparison to those obtained using conventional continuum plasticity theory. It was noted that discrete dislocation plasticity could play a role in interpreting interface fracture properties in the presence of plastic flow.

Dislocation Plasticity Effects on Interfacial Fracture. E.van der Giessen, A.Needleman: Interface Science, 2003, 11[3], 291-301