A theoretical reassessment of the onset of plastic deformation in single crystals: beyond the Estrin-Kubin framework1

Dislocations are the fundamental carriers of plastic deformation in single crystals. Their multiplication, interaction, mutual blocking, and annihilation collectively govern the material’s plastic response across all strain regimes. Classical modeling approaches, such as the Kocks-Mecking and Estrin-Kubin formulations, aim to capture these mechanisms through balance equations for free and blocked dislocations. This manuscript develops a…