Plasticity in vitreous silica induced by cyclic tension considering rate dependence: Role of the network topology

F Bamer and F Ebrahem and B Markert, JOURNAL OF NON-CRYSTALLINE SOLIDS, 503, 176-181 (2019).

DOI: 10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2018.09.043

In this paper, we investigate the visco-plastic stress response of vitreous silica under tension using molecular dynamics simulations. Firstly, we show significant rate-dependence by alternately subjecting vitreous silica to loading and relaxation. Using this strategy, we eliminate viscous effects, a quasi-static hysteresis is obtained and remaining plastic deformations are observed. We investigate the medium- range order at various deformation states on the quasi-static hysteresis. We demonstrate that, although, the short-range order does not noticeably differ at various deformation states on the quasi-static hysteresis, the medium-range order, evaluated through the ring statistics, shows significant changes. Based on the observation of similar trends regarding the ring statistics, three groups, i.e. small-, medium- and large-sized rings, are classified and their changes are linked to the plastic behavior. Furthermore, in order to link the medium range order to rate-dependence, changes in the ring statistics, caused through mechanical relaxation, are investigated and discussed.

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