Evolution of thermo-visco-plastic shearing

The paper outlines the study of the evoluation of the thermally assisted visco-plastic shearing. Analytically, numerically and experimentally, it is demonstrated that the whole process of the shear consists of multi-stages. Owing to instability, early uniform unsteady shear deformation would transform into localization and finally a band-like shearing zone forms, which appears to be a quasi-steady dissipative structure. The mechanisms governing the processes are analyzed. Accompanying the shear banding, micro-damage also develops. The microscopic observations reveal the details of the cumulative damage.