Constitutive Equations of Elastoplastic Materials With Elastic-Plastic Transition

Constitutive equations of elastoplastic materials with an elastic-plastic transition observed in the loading state after a first yield are presented by introducing a new parameter denoting the ratio of the size of a loading surface in the transitional state to that of a yield surface in the classical idealization which ignores the transitional state. These equations involve a reasonably simplified rule for the kinematic hardening. They would describe reasonably not only the hardening behavior but especially the softening behavior which requires our careful consideration about the elastic-plastic transition. From these equations, moreover, we derive plastic constitutive equations specifically of metals and granular media which exhibit very different plastic behaviors. Besides, brief discussions are provided concerning the existing constitutive equations describing the elastic-plastic transition.