Shakedown theory for elastic plastic kinematic hardening bodies

Shakedown static and kinematic theorems for elastic–plastic (generally nonlinear) kinematic hardening solids are derived in classical (path-independence) spirit with new constructions. The generally plastic-deformation-history-dependent hardening curve is assumed to be limited by the initial yield stress and ultimate yield strength, and to obey a positive hysteresis postulate for closed plastic cycles, but else can be arbitrary and unspecified. The theorems reveal that the shakedown of structures is not affected by the particular form of the hardening curve, but just by the initial and ultimate yield stresses. While the ultimate yield strength is clearly defined macroscopically and attached to the incremental collapse mode with unbounded plastic deformations, the initial yield stress, which is responsible for the bounded cyclic plasticity collapse mode, should not be taken as the convenient one at a fixed amount of plastic deformation (0.2%), but is suggested to be taken as low as the fatigue limit to preserve the classical load-history-independence spirit of the shakedown theorems. Otherwise, for our pragmatic application purpose, it may be given empirical values between the low fatigue limit and high ultimate yield stresses according to particular loading processes considered, which may range anywhere between the high-cycle and low-cycle ones. The theorems appear as simple as those of Melan and Koiter for perfect plasticity but applied to the much larger class of more realistic kinematic hardening materials.