The formation of multiple adiabatic shear bands

In a previous paper, Zhou et al. [2006. A numerical methodology for investigating adiabatic shear band formation. J. Mech. Phys. Solids, 54, 904–926] developed a numerical method for analyzing one-dimensional deformation of thermoviscoplastic materials. The method uses a second order algorithm for integration along characteristic lines, and computes the plastic flow after complete localization with high resolution and efficiency. We apply this numerical scheme to analyze localization in a thermoviscoplastic material where multiple shear bands are allowed to form at random locations in a large specimen. As a shear band develops, it unloads neighboring regions and interacts with other bands. Beginning with a random distribution of imperfections, which might be imagined as arising qualitatively from the microstructure, we obtain the average spacing of shear bands through calculations and compare our results with previously existing theoretical estimates. It is found that the spacing between nucleating shear bands follows the perturbation theory due to Wright and Ockendon [1996. A scaling law for the effect of inertia on the formation of adiabatic shear bands. Int. J. Plasticity 12, 927–934], whereas the spacing between mature shear bands is closer to that predicted by the momentum diffusion theory of Grady and Kipp [1987. The growth of unstable thermoplastic shear with application to steady-wave shock compression in solids. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 35, 95–119]. Scaling laws for the dependence of band spacing on material parameters differ in many respects from either theory.