Les milieux granulaires sont très étudiés depuis des décennies mais la description de l'ensemble des comportements observés de ces matériaux reste une grande question ouverte. Lorsqu'ils sont soumis à une contrainte suffisamment importante, une caractéristique est de présenter de la localisation de la déformation. L'objectif du travail présenté dans ce mémoire est d'étudier expérimentalement et numériquement la déformation d'un milieu granulaire et de caractériser des comportements observés lors d'un text biaxial. La première partie est consacrée à la réalisation des tests biaxiaux en déformation plane. Pour pouvoir visualiser de très petites déformations, nous utilisons une méthode interférométrique basée sur la diffusion multiple de la lumière. La deuxième partie est dédiée à la modélisation numérique d'un test biaxial en 2D dans des conditions similaires à celles de l'expérience par la méthode des éléments discrets. Enfin, dans la dernière partie, des outils développés pour l'analyse d'images utilisés pour étudier aussi bien les expériences que les simulations numériques sont abordés. L'étude du champ plastique moyen dans les expériences montre que la localisation de la déformation est un processus progressif initié par une bifurcation qui correspond à l'apparition d'une direction bien définie. Cette direction est en accord avec l'angle de Mohr-Coulomb et son apparition a lieu avant la rupture du matériau. L'étude des fluctuations de la plasticité dans les expériences et les simulations numériques semble mettre en évidence une croissance d'une longueur caractéristique. / Granular materials have been studied for decades, but the description of the behaviors observed of these materials is still an open question. They display localization of deformation when submitted to a large enough stress. The objective of this work is to study experimentally and numerically the deformation of a granular material and to characterize observed behaviors in a biaxial text. The first part is devoted to the realization of plane strain biaxial tests. In order to visualize very small deformations, we use an interferometric method based on the multiple light scattering. The second part is devoted to the numerical modeling of a 2D biaxial test under conditions similar to those of the experiment by the discrete element method. Finally, in the last part, tools developed for the analysis of images used to study as well the experiences as the numerical simulations are approached. The study of the average plastic field in the experiments shows that the localization of the deformation is a progressive process initiated by a bifurcation which corresponds to the appearance of a well defined direction. This direction is in agreement with the angle of Mohr-Coulomb and its appearance takes place before the failure of the material. The study of the fluctuations of the plasticity in the experiments and the numerical simulations seems to show an increase of a characteristic length.

The synthesis of in-situ bulk metallic glass composites (BMGCs) with crystals that undergo a martensitic transformation under loading is possibly the most effective method to improve the plasticity of metallic glasses at room temperature. These martensitic or shape memory BMGCs are typically fabricated via solidification of glass-forming melts, which requires the meticulous selection of the chemical composition and the proper choice of the processing parameters (particularly the cooling rate) in order to ensure that the glassy matrix coexists with the desired amount of austenitic phase having suitable morphology and characteristics. Unfortunately, a relatively limited number of alloy systems, where austenite and glassy matrix coexist over a wide range of compositions, is available. Additionally, the necessity for rapid heat extraction and the corresponding high cooling rates essential for glass formation by melt solidification set an inherent limit to the achievable dimensions of BMGs and BMGCs specimens. The aim of this thesis is to study the effectiveness of powder metallurgy as an alternative to solidification for the synthesis of shape memory BMGCs. Ni50.6Ti49.4 and Zr48Cu36Al8Ag8 metallic glass powders were selected as the constituents of the composites because they have been extensively investigated and represent well the characteristic behavior of metallic glass and shape memory phases. BMGCs with different volume fractions of NiTi phase were fabricated using pressure-assisted sintering via hot pressing and their microstructure, mechanical properties and deformation mechanism were investigated. Particular focus was placed upon identifying the individual contributions of the martensitic transformation and shear band formation to plasticity as well as their mutual interaction at different length scales using a multidisciplinary approach involving experiments and simulations. BMG composites were synthesized by hot pressing of powder mixtures consisting of Zr48Cu36Al8Ag8 metallic glass and different amounts of Ni50.6Ti49.4 particles (10, 20, 40 and 60 vol.%) using the optimized consolidation parameters (temperature-time-pressure) determined for the monolithic BMG. All composites are characterized by a relatively uniform particle distribution and good interface bonding without any sign of reaction between the metallic glass and NiTi. The NiTi particles are progressively less isolated with increasing volume fraction of NiTi up to 40 % and, for the BMGC with 60 vol.% NiTi, the glassy particles are no longer connected and the NiTi phase becomes the continuous matrix. This is not a trivial achievement as the change of matrix while maintaining the structure of the constituent phases would not be easily obtained by solidification of melts with such different compositions. The size of the samples (10 mm diameter and 9 - 11 mm height) is larger than the characteristic BMGCs synthesized by casting and can, in principle, be scaled up to larger dimensions, demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach for overcoming the size limitation inherent to glass formation via solidification. In contrast to the monolithic BMG, which does not show any sign of plasticity, the BMGCs exhibit macroscopic plastic deformation that progressively increases with increasing NiTi content along with distinct strain-hardening. The BMG composites have similar fracture strength, which is comparable with the monolithic BMG, and exhibit a distinct double yield behavior, similar to shape memory BMGCs fabricated by casting. The deformed BMGCs exhibit a high density of shear bands, again in agreement with what observed for similar BMGCs fabricated by casting. These findings not only demonstrate that BMGCs with tunable microstructures and thus with optimized deformability can be synthesized by pressure-assisted sintering but, thanks to the phase stability of the components across such a wide range of compositions, also offer an excellent platform to examine fundamental aspects in the field of martensitic BMGCs. The confining stress exerted by the surrounding glassy matrix was quantified at the macroscale via a hybrid Voigt-Reuss mixture, which considers intermediate weighted combinations of stiff and compliant behaviors. In this way, the macroscopic stress required to initiate the martensitic transformation from B2 to B19´ can be described with rather good accuracy. The confining effect was further investigated by in-situ high-energy X-ray diffraction to have access to the strain tensor of the B2 phase as a function of loading. The results indicate that the confining stress along the direction perpendicular to the loading axis is particularly strong because the expansion of the B2 phase is constrained by the elastic matrix. A mechanism responsible for shear band formation in shape memory BMGCs is proposed. The stress field generated by the martensitic transformation in the contiguous glass would activate the adjacent shear transformation zone (STZ, the elementary units of plasticity in BMGs). The stress field induced by the activated STZ in the surrounding material then triggers the activation of the following STZs along the path of a potential shear band, in an autocatalytic process resembling the domino effect. The shear band formed in this way propagates through the glassy phase and, when impinging a B2 particle, the associated stress field would locally trigger the martensitic transformation, starting again the process. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of a martensitic BMGC show that the structural perturbation generated by the martensitic transformation is indeed transmitted to the adjacent glassy matrix and, in turn, to the developing shear band, in agreement with the proposed mechanism. The individual contribution of the glassy phase to the residual strain after each loading-unloading cycle was quantified assuming that the NiTi phase behaves in the same manner across the different specimens. The glass contribution was then correlated to the shear band density to obtain the plastic strain resulting from shear banding for a given amount of NiTi phase, a quantity that could be effectively used in the design of plastically-deformable BMGCs with shape memory particles. The martensitic transformation in the composites becomes progressively more irreversible with increasing strain. A large contribution to the martensite stabilization may come from the residual stress induced by the shear bands, in accordance with the finite element method (FEM) simulations, showing that residual stresses in the composites suppress the reverse transformation after unloading. These finding corroborates the hypothesis that the residual elastic stress field generated by the shear bands may be fundamental for stabilizing the martensitic phase by restraining the atoms at the glass-crystal interface from rearranging back to form austenite. This process can be reversed by proper heat treatment. The findings presented in this thesis offer the opportunity to synthesize shape memory BMG composites with enhanced plasticity and strain-hardening capability along with larger dimensions than those typically achieved by solidification. The powder metallurgy approach provides the necessary versatility in materials design and resulting properties of the composites via the control over the fundamental microstructural features, such as volume fraction, size, morphology and distribution of the second phase. Additionally, materials processing in the solid state gives a virtually infinite choice among the possible composite components, a degree of freedom not usually given when processing via solidification.:Abstract iii Kurzfassung vii Motivation and objectives xi 1 Theoretical background and state-of-the-art 1 1.1 Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) 1 1.1.1 Formation of metallic glasses 2 1.1.2 Mechanical properties of BMGs 5 1.1.3 Shear bands in metallic glasses 8 1.2 Bulk metallic glass matrix composites 19 1.2.1 Fabrication of BMG composites 20 1.2.2 In-situ BMG composites 27 1.2.3 Ex-situ BMG composites 43 2 Experiments and simulations 57 2.1 Sample preparation 57 2.1.1 Starting materials 57 2.1.2 Powder mixing 59 2.1.3 Powder consolidation 60 2.2 Materials characterization 61 2.2.1 Composition analysis 61 2.2.2 Laboratory X-ray diffraction 61 2.2.3 High-energy X-ray diffraction and strain analysis 62 2.2.4 Viscosity measurements 63 2.2.5 Differential scanning calorimetry 64 2.2.6 Density measurements 64 2.2.7 X-ray computed tomography 65 2.2.8 Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy 65 2.2.9 Transmission electron microscopy 66 2.2.10 Elastic constants measurements 66 2.2.11 Mechanical tests 67 2.3 Molecular dynamic simulations 67 2.4 Finite element simulations 68 3 Pressure-assisted sintering of single-phase Zr48Cu36Al8Ag8 metallic glass and Ni50.6Ti49.4 powders 73 3.1 Synthesis and properties of single-phase Zr48Cu36Al8Ag8 bulk metallic glass 73 3.2 Synthesis and properties of single-phase Ni50.6Ti49.4 shape memory alloy 80 4 Pressure-assisted sintering of BMG composites with shape memory crystals: Microstructure and mechanical properties 87 4.1 Microstructure of BMG composites 87 4.2 Effect of NiTi volume fraction on mechanical properties 90 4.3 Effect of confinement of the glassy phase on the martensitic transformation 95 5 Deformation mechanism of shape memory BMG composites 101 5.1 Martensitic transformation and shear band formation 101 5.2 Mechanism of shear band formation in shape memory BMG composites 107 6 Reversibility of the martensitic transformation in shape memory BMG composites 113 6.1 Martensite stabilization in NiTi alloy and BMG composites 113 6.2 Simulation of the martensite stabilization effect in BMG composites 119 6.3 Effect of heat treatment on the martensitic reverse transformation 121 7 Summary and outlook 125 References 131 Acknowledgements 155 Publications 157 Erklärung 159

Fundamental understanding of high strain rate deformation behavior of materials is critical in designing new alloys for wide-ranging applications including military, automobile, spacecraft, and industrial applications. High entropy alloys, consisting of multiple elements in (near) equimolar proportions, represent a new paradigm in structural alloy design providing ample opportunity for achieving excellent performance in high strain rate applications by proper selection of constituent elements and/or thermomechanical processing. This dissertation is focused on fundamental understanding of high strain-rate deformation behavior of several high entropy alloy systems with widely varying microstructures. Ballistic impact testing of face centered cubic Al0.1CoCrFeNi high entropy alloy showed failure by ductile hole growth. The deformed microstructure showed extensive micro-banding and micro-twinning at low velocities while adiabatic shear bands and dynamic recrystallization were seen at higher velocities. The Al0.7CoCrFeNi and AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high entropy alloys, with BCC and FCC phases in lamellar morphology, showed failure by discing. A network of cracks coupled with small and inhomogeneous plastic deformation led to the brittle mode of failure in these eutectic alloys. Phase-specific mechanical behavior using small-scale techniques revealed higher strength and strain rate sensitivity for the B2 phase compared to the L12 phase. The interphase boundary demonstrated good stability without any cracks at high compressive strain rates. The Al0.3CoCrFeNi high entropy alloy with bimodal microstructure demonstrated an excellent combination of strength and ductility. Ballistic impact testing of Al0.3CoCrFeNi alloy showed failure by ductile hole growth and demonstrated superior performance compared to all the other high entropy alloy systems studied. The failure mechanism was dominated by micro-banding, micro-twining, and adiabatic shear localization. Comparison of all the high entropy alloy systems with currently used state-of-the-art rolled homogenous armor (RHA) steel showed a strong dependence of failure modes on microstructural features.

No description available.

The static and dynamic response of lattice materials is investigated to disclose and control the connection between microstructure and effective behavior. The analytical methods developed in the thesis aim at providing a new understanding of material instabilities and strain localizations as well as effective tools for controlling wave propagation in lattice structures. The time-harmonic dynamics of arbitrary beam lattices, deforming flexurally and axially in a plane, is formulated analytically to analyze the influence of the mechanical parameters on the dispersion properties of the spectrum of Floquet-Bloch waves. Several forms of dynamic localizations are shown to occur for in-plane wave propagation of grid-like elastic lattices. It is demonstrated that lattices of rods, despite being `simple' structures, can exhibit a completely different channeled response depending on the characteristics of the forcing source (i.e. frequency and direction) as well as on the slenderness of the elastic links. It is also shown how the lattice parameters can be tuned to attain specific dispersion properties, such as flat bands and sharp Dirac cones. In the research field of material instabilities, a key result proposed in this thesis is the development of both static and dynamic homogenization methods capable of accounting for second-order effects in the macroscopic response of prestressed lattices. These methods, the former based on an incremental strain-energy equivalence and the latter based on the asymptotic analysis of lattice waves, allow the identification of the incremental constitutive operator capturing the macroscopic incremental response of arbitrary lattice configurations. The homogenization framework has allowed the systematic analysis of prestress-induced phenomena on the incremental response of both the lattice structure and its `effective' elastic solid, which in turn has enabled the identification of the complex interplay between microstructure, prestress, loss of ellipticity (shear band formation) and short-wavelength bifurcations. Potential new applications for the control of wave propagation are also shown to be possible by leveraging the inclusion of second-order terms in the incremental dynamics. In particular, the tunability of the prestress state in a square lattice structure has been exploited to obtain dynamic interfaces with designable transmission properties. The interface can be introduced in a material domain by selectively prestressing the desired set of ligaments and the prestress level can be tuned to achieve total reflection, negative refraction, and wave channeling. The obtained results open new possibilities for the realization of engineered materials endowed with a desired constitutive response, as well as to enable the identification of novel dynamic material instabilities.

Cette étude expérimentale traite la localisation des déformations sur un grès poreux: le grès de Vosges. Un nombre des essais triaxiaux sont effectués sous des pressions de confinement (i.e., 20 MPa - 190 MPa) et des déformations axiales différentes pour mieux comprendre la réponse mécanique de ce grès. La localisation des déformations a été étudiée dans des différentes échelles en appliquant une variation de mesures de champs (full-field methods) comme la Tomographie Ultrasonore (en 2D), les Emissions Acoustiques (en 3D), les Rayons X (en 3D), et la Corrélation des Images (en 3D). Les méthodes expérimentales ont été appliquées avant, pendant et après les essais triaxiaux. Des coupes fine ont été observées sous le microscope optique et électronique (SEM). La combinaison des multiples techniques expérimentales, qui ont des différentes sensitivités et résolutions, a décrit la procédure de la formation et l’évolution des bands de déformation observées sur le grès de Vosges. Des bandes de cisaillement ont été formées sous des pressions intermédiaires et des bandes de compaction sous des pressions élevées. Des bandes de compactions pure n’ont pas été observées.Les bandes de déformations observées se sont caractérisées comme des zones de déformation de cisaillement localisée et/ou de compaction. En plus, elles se sont caractérisées comme des structures de fable vitesse ultrasonore, des places d’origine des fissures inter- ou intra- granulaires, et des places des densités de matériel élevées.Deux mécanismes principales ont été observées au niveau de grain dans les bandes de cisaillement et de bandes de compaction (shear-enhanced compaction bands): d’un cote c’est la fissuration des grains (endommagement) et de l’autre cote c’est la réduction de porosité (sur la forme de compaction). Les deux mécanismes i présent différences sur leurs proportions et leur ordre d’occurrence dans le temps. / This PhD thesis presents a laboratory study aiming at a better understanding of the stress-strain response of the Vosges sandstone (porous rock) tested at a range of confining pressures (i.e., 20-190 MPa) and different axial strain levels. Localised deformation was captured at different scales by a combination of full-field experimental methods, including Ultrasonic Tomography (2D), Acoustic Emissions (3D), X-ray Tomography (3D), and 3D volumetric Digital Image Correlation, plus thin section and Scanning Electron Microscope observations (2D). These experimental methods were performed before, during and after a number of triaxial compression tests. The combined use of the experimental techniques, which have different sensitivity and resolution, described the processes of shear band and shear-enhanced compaction band generation, which formed at low to intermediate and relatively high confining pressures, respectively. Pure compaction bands were not identified. The deformation bands were characterised as zones of localised shear and/or volumetric strain and were captured by the experimental methods as features of low ultrasonic velocities, places of inter- and intra-granular cracking and structures of higher density material. The two main grain-scale mechanisms: grain breakage (damage) and porosity reduction (compaction) were identified in both shear band and shear-enhanced compaction band formation, which presented differences in the proportions of the mechanism and their order of occurrence in time.

Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή εστιάζεται στην γεωδυναμική εξέλιξη της Αττικής. Η Αττική συνίσταται από τους μεταμορφωμένους σχηματισμούς της Αττικοκυκλαδικής Μάζας στους οποίους επωθούνται οι αμεταμόρφωτοι έως χαμηλά μεταμορφωμένοι σχηματισμοί της Υποπελαγονικής Ζώνης. Στην Αττική η Αττικοκυκλαδική Μάζα διαχωρίζεται σε Ενότητα Κυανοσχιστολίθων και Ενότητα Βάσης. Η μεγασκοπική, μεσοσκοπική και μικροτεκτονική ανάλυση που εφαρμόστηκε κυρίως στα μεταμορφωμένα πετρώματα, οδήγησε στην αναγνώριση τεσσάρων κύριων παραμορφωτικών φάσεων. Η πρώτη παραμορφωτική φάση D1 έλαβε χώρα σε πλαστικές συνθήκες και είναι σύγχρονη με την Ηωκαινική Μ1 μεταμόρφωση υψηλών πιέσεων - χαμηλών θερμοκρασιών που προέκυψε από την καταβύθιση του πρωτόλιθου της Ενότητας Κυανοσχιστόλιθων κάτω από την Υποπελαγονική Ζώνη σε βάθη περίπου 40χλμ. σε ένα καθεστώς ηπειρωτικής σύγκρουσης. Στη ζώνη καταβύθισης εισήλθε προοδευτικά κατά το Ολιγόκαινο ο πρωτόλιθος της Ενότητας Βάσης ο οποίος βρισκόταν παλαιογεωγραφικά ανατολικότερα από την Ενότητα Κυανοσχιστολίθων. Κατά τη διάρκεια της καταβύθισης ένα μικρό τμήμα της επωθημένης Υποπελαγονικής Ζώνης, γνωστή ως Ενότητα Τουρκοβουνίων, αποσπάστηκε, ενταφιάστηκε σε βάθος περίπου 10 Χλμ. και παραμορφώθηκε σε εύθραυστες συνθήκες. Η παραμόρφωση των πετρωμάτων της Ενότητας Τουρκοβουνίων χαρακτηρίζεται από εύθραυστες πτυχές και C-S δομές με ροπή προς ΝΑ. Στο όριο Ολιγόκαινου – Μειόκαινου και σε συνθήκες ανάδρομης πρασινοσχιστολιθικής φάσης μεταμόρφωσης Μ2, έλαβε χώρα μία δεύτερη πλαστική παραμορφωτική φάση D2 που σηματοδοτεί την έναρξη του εκταφιασμού της Ενότητας Κυανοσχιστόλιθων και την τοποθέτηση τους επί της Ενότητας Βάσης μέσω μιας φλοιικής κλίμακας πλαστικής επώθησης, της «Επώθησης Βάσης». Στην Επώθηση Βάσης πραγματοποιήθηκε λεπτομερής κινηματική ανάλυση σε περίπου 1200 θέσεις σε όλη την έκταση της Αττικής χρησιμοποιώντας πληθώρα μεσοσκοπικών και μικροσκοπικών κινηματικών δεικτών. Οι μεσοσκοπικοί κινηματικοί δείκτες προέκυψαν από την ανάλυση 554 F2 πτυχών πλαστικού τύπου, 20 boudinages και 25 πορφυροκλαστών. Οι μικροσκοπικοί κινηματικοί δείκτες προέρχονται από την ανάλυση 187 λεπτών τομών και αριθμούν στη κινηματική εκτίμηση πλάγιων φολιώσεων σε 65 λεπτές τομές, C’ ταινιώσεων διάτμησης σε 43 λεπτές τομές, πορφυροκλαστών σε 23 λεπτές τομές, ιχθυόσχημων μαρμαρυγιών σε 12 λεπτές τομές, C-S ταινιωτών δομών σε 11 λεπτές τομές και την μέτρηση 14096 [c]-αξόνων χαλαζία, 4809 [c]-αξόνων ασβεστίτη και 3289 διδυμιών ασβεστίτη. Ο συνδυασμός των παραπάνω και η κατασκευή χαρτών των πορειών των κρυσταλλικών γραμμώσεων έκτασης που προκύπτουν από την μέτρηση 2720 κρυσταλλικών γραμμώσεων έκτασης, έδειξαν κίνηση των μεταμορφωμένων καλυμμάτων με ροπή προς ΑΒΑ κατά την D2 φάση. Από συνολικά 59 δείγματα υπολογίστηκε το ποσό της παραμόρφωσης στο επίπεδο που είναι παράλληλο στη διεύθυνση κίνησης, ενώ σε 19 από αυτά προσδιορίστηκε το ελλειψοειδές της παραμόρφωσης. Η ποσοτική τεκτονική ανάλυση για τον προσδιορισμό του ποσού της παραμόρφωσης και του κινηματικού αριθμού στροβίλισης (Wm) έδειξε ότι η τεκτονική τοποθέτηση της ενότητας Κυανοσχιστόλιθων επί της Ενότητας Βάσης έλαβε χώρα σε συνθήκες επίπεδης παραμόρφωσης (k≈1,02) και γενικής διάτμησης εκφραζόμενης από τιμές Wm μεταξύ 0,22 και 0,97. Με βάση τα στοιχεία αυτά υπολογίζεται ότι η πλαστική λέπτυνση και η αντίστοιχη πλαστική επιμήκυνση παράλληλα στην διεύθυνση κίνησης του καλύμματος των Κυανοσχιστολίθων είναι 20-50% και 30-90%, αντίστοιχα. Οι τιμές αυτές οι οποίες είναι συγκρίσιμες με αυτές που έχουν υπολογιστεί σε άλλες ορογενετικές ζώνες (π.χ. Εξωτερικές Ελληνίδες, Ιμαλάια) φανερώνουν ότι ο εκταφιασμός της Ενότητας Κυανοσχιστόλιθων πιθανότατα πραγματοποιήθηκε με ένα μηχανισμό πλαστικής διαφυγής. Με τη συνεχή άνοδο σε ανώτερους δομικούς ορόφους (~10Χλμ.), τα μεταμορφωμένα καλύμματα της Αττικής υπεισήλθαν κατά τη διάρκεια του Κ. έως Α. Μειόκαινου, σε μία τρίτη παραμορφωτική φάση D3 και υπέστησαν παραμόρφωση σε καθεστώς συμπίεσης κάτω από εύθραυστες συνθήκες. Η ποιοτική και κινηματική ανάλυση από 531 F3-πτυχές και 30 C-S δομές δείχνει κίνηση με ροπή προς τα Α-ΑΒΑ. Η κατασκευή χαρτών πορειών φολιώσεων από την μέτρηση 3500 φολιώσεων που φανερώνουν τους άξονες της D3 μεγαπτύχωσης, σε συνδυασμό με τους χάρτες πορειών κρυσταλλικών γραμμώσεων έκτασης δηλώνουν ότι η Επώθηση Βάσης κατά την D3 φάση, απόκτησε μία δεξιόστροφη συνιστώσα και πλαγιοανάστροφο χαρακτήρα κίνησης. Τα αλλεπάλληλα συμπιεστικά γεγονότα στα μεταμορφωμένα πετρώματα της Αττικοκυκλαδικής Μάζας, διαδέχτηκε ένα καθεστώς διαστολής D4 που αντιπροσωπεύεται από κανονικά ρήγματα και το σχηματισμό ρηξισχισμού που λειτούργησαν κατά το Α. Μειόκαινο και δείχνουν στο τελικό τους στάδιο Β-Ν διεύθυνση εφελκυσμού. Η D4 φάση παραμόρφωσης παρατηρείται σε όλα τα πετρώματα της Αττικής και υπερτίθεται όλων των προγενέστερων παραμορφωτικών φάσεων. / The present PhD thesis focuses on the geodynamic evolution of Attica. Attica consists of the metamorphic rocks of the Attico-Cycladic Massif and the low- or non-metamorphosed formations of Subpelagonian Zone. In Attica the Attico-cycladic Massif is represented by the "Blueschist Unit" and the "Basal Unit". Mesoscopic structural data coupled with microtectonic analyses, applied mainly on the metamorphic rocks, enabled the distinction of four deformation phases which took place from Eocene to middle Miocene. The ductile D1 phase was synchronous to Eocene blueschist facies metamorphism and is associated with the continent–continent collision and subduction of the protolith of the Blueschist Unit beneath the Subpelagonian Zone to a depth of c. 40 km. The protolith of the Basal Unit, which was paleogeographically located eastwards of the Blueschist Unit, entered in the subduction channel via progressive underthrusting at Oligocene. During the subduction, a small part of the overthrust Subpelagonian Zone, also known as Tourkovounia Unit buried in a depth of c. 10 km and affected by penetrative brittle deformation expressed by brittle folds and C-S structures indicating a consistent top-to-the-SE sense of shear. At the Oligocene – Miocene boundary a ductile deformation phase (D2) took place coeval with the greenschist facies retrogression and the exhumation of the Blueschist Unit. This was commenced with the emplacement of the Blueschist Unit over the Basal Unit via a crustal scale ductile thrust, named hereinafter the “Basal Thrust”. Detailed kinematic analysis has been performed in c. 1200 locations using a plethora of mesoscopic and microscopic kinematic indicators. The mesoscopic indicators are represented by the analysis of c. 600 F2 folds, asymmetric boudinages and porphyroclasts. Microstructural analysis on 187 thin sections resulted to the designation of oblique foliation, shear bands, C-S structures, porphyroclasts, mica-fish and the measurement of 3289 e-lamellae and c. 19000 c-axes of quartz and calcite. The combination of the aforementioned data and the projection of the stretching lineation trajectories on geological maps indicate dominant top-to-the-ENE sense of shearing during D1 phase. Strain analysis was performed on 59 samples where Rxz values were obtained, while Ryz values were calculated in 19 representative samples. The observed variation in strain geometry indicates that the emplacement of the Blueschist Unit took place under approximately plane strain conditions (k≈1,02) that experienced a general shear deformation history with kinematic vorticity number, Wm, between 0,22 and 0,97. Integration of the vorticity and strain data indicates ductile thinning and transport-parallel elongation by 20–50% and 30–90%, respectively, during exhumation. These values are comparable with ductile thinning in other metamorphic sequences in orogenic belts (e.g. Himalaya and the External Hellenides) and reveal that formation and stacking of the studied units probably occurred under a mechanism of solid-state ductile extrusion. The continuous exhumation of metamorphic rocks at relatively shallow crustal levels (≈10 km) is associated with the third deformation D3 phase, which corresponds to a compression regime occurring under brittle conditions (L. to U. Miocene). Kinematic analysis of 531 F3-folds and 30 C-S structures manifests a top-to-the-A-ABA sense of shear. The projection of the foliation trajectories, that reveal the curved hinge lines of the anticlines/sinclines of the area, in combination with the stretching lineation trajectories, possibly documents a dextral transpressional shearing of the Basal Thrust. The last observed D4 phase occurred during the upper Miocene and is characterized by the formation of normal faults and joints resulted by an N-S extensional regime.