Effective yield criterion for a porous single crystal accounting for void size effects

Abstract The growth of sub-grain voids in crystalline materials is affected by plastic anisotropy as well as void size effects. In this paper, an effective yield criterion is derived for a porous single crystal using homogenization theory and limit analysis. A two dimensional planar model of a single crystal containing a random distribution of cylindrical voids is assumed. The effective yield criterion is derived using plastic limit load analysis of a hollow cylindrical representative volume element, containing a concentric cylindrical void in a single crystalline matrix. A conventional strain gradient plasticity model with an embedded material length scale is assumed for the matrix, in order to account for the void size dependence of yielding. The yield loci and void growth rates predicted by the model under plane strain conditions are validated by comparison with numerical results obtained using finite elements, as well as prior analytical results for the special case of size independent matrix behavior. The model predictions for the size dependence of the yield stress as well as void growth under proportional loading conditions are discussed with reference of known results from experiments and lower scale dislocation dynamics simulations.