Inelastic deformation of metallic glasses occurs via slip events with avalanche dynamics similar to those of earthquakes. For the first time in these materials, measurements have been obtained with sufficiently high temporal resolution to extract both the exponents and the scaling functions that describe the nature, statistics and dynamics of the slips according to a simple mean-field model. Th...

The elastic strain sustainable in crystal lattices is usually limited by the onset of inelastic yielding mediated by discrete dislocation activity, displacive deformation twinning and stress-induced phase transformations, or fracture associated with flaws. Here we report a continuous and gradual lattice deformation in bending nickel nanowires to a reversible shear strain as high as 34.6%, which...

We present a finite deformation constitutive theory for non-cohesive granular media. The material model falls in the family of the so-called Cam-clay theories. As typical of Cam-clay models, soil is assumed to be frictional with a logarithmic-type compression. The same state boundary surface––described by ellipses––is taken as yield and plastic potential surface. Hardening is related only to pl...

A Membrane Deflection Experiment was used to test the mechanical response of freestanding thin film gold specimens. We present stress-strain curves obtained on films 0.3, 0.5 and 1.0 μm thick. Elastic modulus was consistently measured in the range of 53-55 GPa. Several size effects on the mechanical properties were observed including yield stress variations with membrane width and film thicknes...

Energy absorber systems like metallic dampers for controlling the structural vibrations due to earthquake have witnessed considerable development in the past few decades. Also there are some studies on the energy absorption of thin-walled tubes due to impact load. Thin-walled tubes have a large deformation capacity and are suitable energy absorbers in the structure during an earthquake provided...

The localization of plastic deformation into a shear band is discussed as an instability of -plastic flow and a precursor to rupture. Experimental observations are reviewed, a ge~eral theoretical framework is presented, and specific calculations of critical conditions are carried out for a variety of material models. The interplay between features of inelastic constitutive description~ especial...