  A numerical strategy to simulate plastic deformation in Mg alloys including
dislocation slip and twin propagation is presented. Dislocation slip is
included through a crystal plasticity model which is solved using the finite
element method while twin propagation is taken into account by means of a phase
field model which is solved using a fast Fourier transform algorithm. The
coupled crystal plasticity and phase field equations were solved using
different discretizations of the simulation domain using the same time step for
both of them. The numerical strategy was used to simulate the deformation in
compression of a Mg micro-pillar along the $[10\bar{1}0]$ direction. The
stress-strain curve predicted by the model as well as the dominant deformation
mechanisms were in agreement with the experimental data in the literature and
demonstrate the viability of the strategy to take explicitly into account twin
propagation during the simulation of plastic deformation of Mg alloys. Finally,
an example of slip/twin interaction in polycrystals was simulated to show the
capabilities of the model.
