Energy accumulation and dissipation in metals as a result of structural-scaling transitions in a mesodefect ensemble

The localization of plastic deformation and its wave-like propagation are well-known and experimentally studied phenomena. Modern experiments carried out with highly sensitive infrared cameras have allowed us to investigate in detail energy accumulation and dissipation in the material which accompany the above process. It is found that plastic deformation occurs together with great energy accumulation in the material. The energy accumulation rate peaks on the initial stage of plastic deformation and vanishes at developed plastic flow. At the moment of elastic-plastic transition dissipative waves induced by plastic deformation localization can be generated and propagate in some metals. The given paper puts forward a theoretical model of energy accumulation and dissipation in metals under plastic deformation. The model is based on a statistical description of evolution of an ensemble of typical mesodefects (microshears). The derived constitutive equations adequately describe certain experimentally observed peculiarities of energy dissipation in metals.