A variation of a Frenkel-Kontorova dislocation model was used to construct a Hamiltonian which permitted the computation of the temperature dependence of the ultimate tensile and shear stresses of crystalline solids. A new brittleness parameter was proposed. It was shown that, using the model, it was possible to predict the nature (brittle, quasi-brittle, ductile, quasi-ductile) of a given crystal and estimate its ultimate strength.

Ultimate Strength and Brittleness of Crystal Solids. A.S.Balankin, A.D.Izotov: Revista Mexicana de Fisica, 1995, 41[6], 783-90