Shear transformations play an important role in accommodating plastic strain in some crystalline materials. Specifically, twinning in the case of HCP and TWIP, and martensitic transformations in the case of TRIP steels. For example, hexagonal close packed (HCP) systems are relevant to nuclear energy applications (Zr), automotive industry applications (Mg) and defense technologies (Ti, Be, Hf). Cubic TWIP and TRIP steels exhibit high ductility and high tensile strengths, which makes them attractive for high strain rate energy adsorption applications, such as automotive crash safety systems, aerospace, and military vehicle armor. Such localized transformations involve a sequence of nucleation, propagation and growth mechanisms, which need to be studied from a microscopic and mesoscopic perspective. In addition, these transformations generate local stress fields, and domains that act as barriers to dislocations and other twins.

This symposium aims to accelerate the development of new concepts and methodologies in shear transformation deformation physics in nano-structured and micro-structured materials, focusing on recent achievements in (1) computational discoveries and (2) experimental observations in shear transformation deformation physics with a focus on qualitative and quantitative characterization of nucleation, propagation and growth of shear transformation domains, their interactions with other deformation modes, and their role on hardening mechanisms, mechanical instability and fracture.