A framework for numerical integration of crystal elasto-plastic constitutive equations compatible with explicit finite element codes

In this paper we summarize the elements of a numerical integration scheme for elasto-plastic response of single crystals. This is intended to be compatible with large-scale explicit finite element codes and therefore can be used for problems involving multiple crystals and also overall behavior of polycrystalline materials. The steps described here are general for anisotropic elastic and plastic response of crystals. The crystallographic axes of the lattice are explicitly stored and updated at each time step. A plastic predictor–elastic corrector scheme is used to calculate the plastic strain rates on all active slip systems based on a rate-dependent physics-based constitutive model without the need of further auxiliary assumptions. Finally we present the results of numerous calculations using a physics-based rate- and temperature-dependent model of copper and the effect of elastic unloading, elastic crystal anisotropy, and deformation-induced lattice rotation are emphasized.