Dislocation group dynamics VI. The release of a pile-up

A dislocation distribution is initially in equilibrium, piled up against a block by a uniform applied stress. The block is removed and the subsequent motion of the distribution, for a linear stress—velocity law, is analysed by the complex representation introduced in Parts I to V of this study of dislocation group dynamics. It is shown that complete information about the motion is contained in a root of a cubic equation. Particular aspects of the motion which are considered include the changing shape of the distribution, the positions of its leading and trailing edges, the rising stress at a point on the slip plane ahead of the distribution and asymptotic limits at large time.