Analysis of necking based on a one-dimensional model

Dimensional reduction is applied to derive a one-dimensional energy functional governing tensile necking localization in a family of initially uniform prismatic solids, including as particular cases rectilinear blocks in plane strain and cylindrical bars undergoing axisymmetric deformations. The energy functional depends on both the axial stretch and its gradient. The coefficient of the gradient term is derived in an exact and general form. The one-dimensional model is used to analyze necking localization for nonlinear elastic materials that experience a maximum load under tensile loading, and for a class of nonlinear materials that mimic elastic-plastic materials by displaying a linear incremental response when stretch switches from increasing to decreasing. Bifurcation predictions for the onset of necking from the simplified theory compared with exact results suggest the approach is highly accurate at least when the departures from uniformity are not too large. Post-bifurcation behavior is analyzed to the point where the neck is fully developed and localized to a region on the order of the thickness of the block or bar. Applications to the nonlinear elastic and elastic-plastic materials reveal the highly unstable nature of necking for the former and the stable behavior for the latter, except for geometries where the length of the block or bar is very large compared to its thickness. A formula for the effective stress reduction at the center of a neck is established based on the one-dimensional model, which is similar to that suggested by Bridgman (1952).