Shakedown theory for elastic-perfectly plastic bodies revisited

Yield criteria for elastic-perfectly plastic solids, in particular, the Mises and Tresca ones, permit unlimited hydrostatic stresses, leading to some singularity in the classical Melan–Koiter shakedown theory. Classical shakedown theory is re-examined regarding this problem. It is shown that the complete proofs of both static and kinematic theorems require restrictions on the hydrostatic stresses. A modified shakedown kinematic theorem using a fictitious material that can yield in bulk tension and compression has been constructed for subsequent treatment of real engineering materials, which cannot yield but fail under high hydrostatic stresses. The kinematic theorem should have vanishing hydrostatic plastic strain rate solution for the safety of the body against hydrostatic fracture. In this way, the modified kinematic formulation including the limits on hydrostatic stresses are suggested for application. The modifications are also naturally added into the plastic limit theory, which is a limiting case of the shakedown one. Also in the paper, the kinematic approach is used to deduce some simplified estimates for specific non-shakedown collapse modes of elastic plastic structures.