Slip-line field theory

Slip-line field theory solves certain two-dimensional problems of plastic deformation by constructing two orthogonal families of characteristic curves, called slip lines. Its classical assumptions include plane strain, negligible inertia and body force, and a rigid, perfectly plastic material. The curves are aligned with the directions of maximum in-plane shear stress, rather than the principal stress directions.^[ref]

The curve network encodes both the stress field and constraints on admissible velocity. Indentation of a thick workpiece by a rigid flat punch provides a motivating application: the construction predicts a plastic flow region and the load needed to sustain that flow. It is useful because geometry can turn coupled field equations into relations integrated along curves. A slip line is a continuum characteristic, however, not necessarily a microscopic crystal slip system or the actual path of a moving material particle.

In plane strain perfect plasticity with ${\sigma }_{11}=-p+k\sin 2\varphi$, ${\sigma }_{22}=-p-k\sin 2\varphi$ and ${\sigma }_{12}=-k\cos 2\varphi$, equilibrium givesThe slip line tangent directions $(\cos \varphi ,\sin \varphi )$ and $(-\sin \varphi ,\cos \varphi )$ are eigenvectors with eigenvalues $+1,-1$. Taking directional derivatives proves the two Hencky stress relations. These sign choices must be changed consistently if the shear-stress convention changes.

For a symmetric reentrant notch opening towards negative $x_1$, let its semi-angle be $0\le \gamma \le \pi /2$. On the upper free face, tensile tangential stress selects $p=-k$, $\varphi =\pi /4-\gamma$. The adjacent centred fan has radial $\beta$ lines and circular $\alpha$ lines: $\varphi =\vartheta -\pi /2$, $p=-k+2k[\vartheta -(3\pi /4-\gamma )]$, for $\pi /4\le \vartheta \le 3\pi /4-\gamma$. It joins a constant stress region containing the forward axis, where $\varphi =-\pi /4$ and $p=-k(1+\pi -2\gamma )$. Therefore ${\sigma }_{22}=k(2+\pi -2\gamma )$ in that fully plastic notch-tip region. This is a local stress field, not a claim that an arbitrary specimen is plastically yielded everywhere.

For an associated flow rule in the reduced plane-strain yield coordinates, the rate-of-strain tensor has zero extension along both slip line directions. Write velocity as $u{e}_{\alpha }+v{e}_{\beta }$, with the local orthonormal axes turning through angle $\varphi$. Differentiating along an $\alpha$ curve gives longitudinal extension $du-vd\varphi$; along a $\beta$ curve it gives $dv+ud\varphi$. Setting these extensions to zero proves the relations for the corresponding anisotropic yield surface parameterization.

Parameterize a fixed yield surface by stress-space arc length $l$ with ${\xi }_{,l}=-\cos 2\varphi$ and ${\tau }_{,l}=-\sin 2\varphi$. For mean normal stress $\sigma$, force balance gives $\nabla \sigma =M\nabla l$, where $M=\left(\begin{array}{cc}\cos 2\varphi & \sin 2\varphi \\ \sin 2\varphi & -\cos 2\varphi \end{array}\right)$. Its eigenvectors along angles $\varphi$ and $\varphi +\pi /2$ have eigenvalues $+1$ and $-1$, proving the displayed slip line invariants.

A slip line is a characteristic curve of a yielded plane-strain plastic equilibrium system. The two orthogonal families carry stress and velocity compatibility relations. Their directions need not agree with principal stress directions.