Crystal plasticity from dislocation dynamics

This contribution overviews the premise and the promise of Dislocation Dynamics (DD) as a method for direct calculation of plasticity and strength of single crystals from the underlying motion of dislocation lines. First, a few aspects of dislocation physics more relevant for the DD method development will be discussed followed by a brief introduction of several key algorithmic and numerical aspects of the DD method. Then, specific examples of applications of the DD method will be given to illustrate the method's ability to capture the essential physics of collective dislocation motion. The primary focus will be on BCC metals where several key results have recently emerged from DD simulations. Finally, the method's applicability to simulations of irradiated metals and alloys will be discussed along with the associated method development issues.