A Mechanism for Static and Dynamic Recovery

The dislocation structure produced during deformation at low and intermediate temperatures is described by a statistical distribution of segments under varying driving forces and resistances to rearrangement. Thermal activation of the metastable positions leads to jerky recovery, which is exhaustive when static, but occurs at a steady rate when dynamic. Static and dynamic recovery thus follow the same laws, albeit at vastly different rates, and they lead to similar dislocation structures. Realistic strain-hardening laws are compatible with this mechamism, in particular with their mild dependence on stress and strain rate.