13 January, 2010

Lecture 1: Phenomenological Approaches to Elasto-Plastic Properties of Glasses: Shear Transformation Zone Theory

Abstract

These lectures will review approaches to modeling elasto-plasticity in glassy materials via the construction of scale-free constitutive theories. Concepts of "free volume," "effective temperature" and "shear transformation zones" will be introduced and the micromechanical theories based on these methods will be considered critically. Particular attention will be devoted to the ability of constitutive models to describe experimental phenomenology in the context of various thermo-mechanical histories. The difficulties associated with verifying microscopic aspects of these theories will also be discussed.

 

14 January, 2010

Lecture 2: Simulating Plastic Localization in Metallic Glasses

Abstract

This lecture will review the simulation and theory literature regarding failure and fracture in glasses. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the origin of shear bands in metallic glasses and the idiosyncratic fracture behavior of these materials. Details will be provided regarding the methodologies used to simulate these phenomena in complex and idealized loading geometries. The conclusions that can be drawn from such simulations will be considered. Generalization of simulation results and experimental observations into theories that can be applied more broadly in modeling failure behavior in disordered systems will be discussed in some detail.