Plastic flow localization due to non-uniform void distribution

Infinite band calculations indicate that the process of flow localization in voided solids is highly sensitive to non-uniformity in void distribution. In this paper, a model is proposed for an elastic-plastic solid with an excess of voids in a disk-shaped cluster embedded in a uniform background distribution. The model is used to study the effect of a void cluster on plastic flow localization. Substantial reductions in ductility due to nonuniformity only occur for quite large clusters when the triaxiality of the overall stresses is low, as in uniaxial tension. At higher stress triaxialities, a small cluster can be severely deleterious.