Abstracthe conclusions reached based on a grain/interphase boundary sliding controlled flow model for optimal structural superplasticity are verified using experimental data from three aluminium alloy systems. Isostructural strain rate–stress relationships could be calculated very accurately using five experimentally determined, physically meaningful constants (three of which could also be calculated from theory; two fully and one partially). The true activation energy for the rate controlling boundary sliding process, the variations of the internal stress distribution arising from sliding, the stress function that is proportional to the measured isostructural isothermal strain rate, and the apparent viscosity, were calculated. It is suggested that the basic units of microscopic boundary sliding in the three aluminium alloys examined have a common structure.MST/3077