Plasticity with non-linear kinematic hardening: modelling and shakedown analysis by the bipotential approach

The class of generalised standard materials is not relevant to model the non-associative constitutive equations. The possible generalisation of Fenchelʹs inequality proposed by de Saxcé allows the recovery of flow rule normality for non-associative behaviours. The normality rule is written in the weak form of an implicit relation. This leads to the introduction of the class of implicit standard materials. This formulation is applied to constitutive equations involving non-linear kinematic hardening, indispensable to describe accurately and realistically the cyclic plasticity of metallic materials. For these plastic flow rules shakedown bound theorems can be extended; an analytical example of the shakedown of a thin-walled tube under constant traction and alternate cyclic torsion is considered and the obtained solution is proved to be exact.