A dislocation dynamics model for plastic deformation was developed which related macroscopic mechanical properties to the basic physical laws which governed dislocation mobility and interaction. A set of critical reactions determined overall results such as the stress-strain curve. These reactions consisted of annihilation, cross-slip and the formation of jogs, junctions and dipoles. These reactions, and the way in which they influenced the simulated stress-strain behaviours of face-centered cubic and body-centered cubic metals were considered. In particular, the formation (zipping) and strengths of dipoles and junctions, and the effect of jogs, were examined here by using the dislocation dynamics model. It was shown that the strengths (unzipping) of these reactions for various configurations could be determined via direct evaluation of the elastic interactions. An investigation was also made of hardening in metals which were subjected to cascade damage. The microstructure consisted of small dislocation loops which decorated the mobile dislocations. The initial results revealed that these loops acted as hardening agents which trapped the dislocations and resulted in an increased yield stress.

3D Dislocation Dynamics – Stress-Strain Behavior and Hardening Mechanisms in FCC and BCC Metals. H.M.Zbib, T.Diaz de la Rubia, M.Rhee, J.P.Hirth: Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2000, 276, 154-65