Void nucleation and associated plasticity in dynamic fracture of polycrystalline copper: an atomistic simulation

We investigate the microscopic mechanisms of void growth in polycrystalline copper undergoing triaxial expansion at a large, constant strain rate: a process central to the initial phase of dynamic fracture. Void nucleation, growth, interaction and coalescence are studied using atomistic simulations. The influence of pre-existing microstructure on the void growth is characterized both for nucleation and for growth. These processes are found to be in agreement with the general features of void distributions observed in experiment. We also examine some of the microscopic mechanisms of plasticity associated with void growth.