Effect of elastic characteristics of the surface layer on the deformation properties of materials with an interface-controllable structure

Computer simulation is used for analyzing the possibility of changing the ultimate strain in samples of "interface" materials whose mechanical behavior is determined by strain localization at the interfaces of structural elements (blocks, grains, etc.) by controlled modification of surface layers. It is shown that a considerable improvement of the deformability of samples subjected to cyclic loading can be attained by reducing the Young modulus and the elastic limit of interfaces in the surface layer. This effect can be explained by the large volume of the material involved in irreversible strain accumulation, which suppresses strain localization in the vicinity of stress macroconcentrators and delays the crack formation.