Linearization for finite plasticity under dislocation-density tensor regularization

Finite-plasticity theories often feature nonlocal energetic contributions in the plastic variables. By introducing a length-scale for plastic effects in the picture, these nonlocal terms open the way to existence results (Mainik and Mielke in J Nonlinear Sci 19(3):221–248, 2009). We focus here on a reference example in this direction, where a specific energetic contribution in terms of dislocation-density tensor is considered (Mielke and Müller in ZAMM Z Angew Math Mech 86:233–250, 2006). When external forces are small and dissipative terms are suitably rescaled, the finite-strain elastoplastic problem converges toward its linearized counterpart. We prove a Γ -convergence result making this asymptotics rigorous, both at the incremental level and at the level of quasistatic evolution.