  In this paper we present a modeling approach to bridge the atomistic with
macroscopic scales in crystalline materials. The methodology combines
identification and modeling of the controlling unit processes at microscopic
level with the direct atomistic determination of fundamental material
properties. These properties are computed using a many body Force Field derived
from ab initio quantum-mechanical calculations. This approach is exercised to
describe the mechanical response of high-purity Tantalum single crystals,
including the effect of temperature and strain-rate on the hardening rate. The
resulting atomistically informed model is found to capture salient features of
the behavior of these crystals such as: the dependence of the initial yield
point on temperature and strain rate; the presence of a marked stage I of easy
glide, specially at low temperatures and high strain rates; the sharp onset of
stage II hardening and its tendency to shift towards lower strains, and
eventually disappear, as the temperature increases or the strain rate
decreases; the parabolic stage II hardening at low strain rates or high
temperatures; the stage II softening at high strain rates or low temperatures;
the trend towards saturation at high strains; the temperature and strain-rate
dependence of the saturation stress; and the orientation dependence of the
hardening rate.
