Gradient single-crystal plasticity within a Mises–Hill framework based on a new formulation of self- and latent-hardening

This paper develops a theory of rate-independent single-crystal plasticity at small length scales. The theory is thermodynamically consistent, and makes provision for power expenditures resulting from vector and scalar microscopic stresses respectively conjugate to slip rates and their tangential gradients on the individual slip systems. Scalar generalized accumulated slips form the basis for a new hardening relation, which takes account of self- and latent-hardening. The resulting initial-boundary value problem is placed in a variational setting in the form of a global variational inequality.