Biot-Savart law in the geometrical theory of dislocations

TL;DR

This paper develops a geometrical theory of dislocations using an analogy with electromagnetics, deriving analytical solutions for plastic deformation fields via the Biot-Savart law and complex analysis, unifying dislocation and electromagnetic theories.

Contribution

It introduces a novel electromagnetic analogy in dislocation theory, enabling analytical integration of deformation fields using Biot-Savart law and complex functions.

Findings

Plastic deformation fields form vortex and orthogonal systems

Results align with classical dislocation theory

Complex functions underpin the orthogonality and conformality

Abstract

Universal mechanical principles may exist behind seemingly unrelated physical phenomena, providing novel insights into these phenomena. This study sheds light on the geometrical theory of dislocations through an analogy with electromagnetics. In this theory, solving Cartan's first structure equation is essential for connecting the dislocation density to the plastic deformation field of the dislocations. The additional constraint of a divergence-free condition, derived from the Helmholtz decomposition, forms the governing equations that mirror Amp\`ere's and Gauss' law in electromagnetics. This allows for the analytical integration of the equations using the Biot-Savart law. The plastic deformation fields of screw and edge dislocations obtained through this process form both a vortex and an orthogonal coordinate system on the cross-section perpendicular to the dislocation line. This orthogonality is rooted in the conformal property of the corresponding complex function that satisfies the Cauchy-Riemann equations, leading to the complex potential of plastic deformation. We validate the results through a comparison with the classical dislocation theory. The incompatibility tensor is crucial in the generation of the mechanical field. These findings reveal a profound unification of dislocation theories, electromagnetics, and complex functions through their underlying mathematical parallels.