Showing papers on "Strain hardening exponent published in 2013"

The continuous strength method for structural stainless steel design

Abstract: Current stainless steel design standards are based on elastic, perfectly plastic material behaviour providing consistency with carbon steel design expressions, but often leading to overly conservative results, particularly in the case of stocky elements. More economic design rules in accordance with the actual material response of stainless steel, which shows a rounded stress–strain curve with significant strain hardening, are required. Hence, the continuous strength method (CSM) was developed. The CSM replaces the concept of cross-section classification with a cross-section deformation capacity and replaces the assumed elastic, perfectly plastic material model with one that allows for strain hardening. This paper summarises the evolution of the method and describes its recent simplified form, which is now suitable for code inclusion. Comparison of the predicted capacities with over 140 collected test results shows that the CSM offers improved accuracy and reduced scatter relative to the current design methods. The reliability of the approach has been demonstrated by statistical analyses and the CSM is currently under consideration for inclusion in European and North American design standards for stainless steel structures.

Characterization of internal fracture process of double network hydrogels under uniaxial elongation

Abstract: Previously we revealed that the high toughness of double network hydrogels (DN gels) derives from the internal fracture of the brittle network during deformation, which dissipates energy as sacrificial bonds. In this study, we intend to elucidate the detailed internal fracture process of DN gels. We quantitatively analysed the tensile hysteresis and re-swelling behaviour of a DN gel that shows a well-defined necking and strain hardening, and obtained the following new findings: (1) fracture of the 1st network PAMPS starts far below the yielding strain, and 90% of the initially load-bearing PAMPS chains already break at the necking point. (2) The dominant internal fracture process occurs in the necking and hardening region, although the softening mainly occurs before necking. (3) The internal fracture efficiency is very high, 85% of the work is used for the internal fracture and 9% of all PAMPS chains break at sample failure. (4) The internal fracture is anisotropic, fracture occurs perpendicular to the tensile direction, in preference to the other two directions, but the fracture anisotropy decreases in the hardening region. Results (1) and (2) are in agreement with a hierarchical structural model of the PAMPS network. Based on these findings, we present a revised description of the fracture process of DN gels.

Some Aspects of High Manganese Twinning-Induced Plasticity (TWIP) Steel, A Review

Abstract: High manganese twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) steel is a new kind of structural material and possesses both high strength and superior plasticity and can meet the weight-lightening requirement for manufacturing vehicle body. The excellent formability of the TWIP steel comes from the extraordinary strain hardening effect during plastic deformation. The reduction of specific weight by aluminum alloying and strain hardening effect can lead to an effective weight reduction of the steel components, and provide a better choice for materials in vehicle body design. The TWIP effect in high Mn steels is generally associated with the successive workhardening generated by twins and influenced by some factors, such as Mn content, Al addition revealed by stacking fault energy (SFE), grain size, deformation temperature and strain rate. The present review introduces some aspects of the TWIP steels relating to their physical metallurgy, influencing factors associated with their deformation mechanisms, and a prospect for the future investigation is also described. Moreover, as a potential candidate for replacing Ni-Cr austenitic stainless steel, researches on the oxidation behavior and corrosion resistance of Fe-Mn-Al-C system steels are also reviewed.

Densification and strain hardening of a metallic glass under tension at room temperature.

Abstract: The deformation of metallic glasses involves two competing processes: a disordering process involving dilatation, free volume accumulation, and softening, and a relaxation process involving diffusional ordering and densification. For metallic glasses at room temperature and under uniaxial loading, disordering usually dominates, and the glass can fail catastrophically as the softening process runs away in a localized mode. Here we demonstrate conditions where the opposite, unexpected, situation occurs: the densifying process dominates, resulting in stable plastic deformation and work hardening at room temperature. We report densification and hardening during deformation in a Zr-based glass under multiaxial loading, in a notched tensile geometry. The effect is driven by stress-enhanced diffusional relaxation, and is attended by a reduction in exothermic heat and hardening signatures similar to those observed in the classical thermal relaxation of glasses. The result is significant, stable, plastic, extensional flow in metallic glasses, which suggest a possibility of designing tough glasses based on their flow properties.

A nonaffine network model for elastomers undergoing finite deformations

Abstract: In this work, we construct a new physics-based model of rubber elasticity to capture the strain softening, strain hardening, and deformation-state dependent response of rubber materials undergoing finite deformations. This model is unique in its ability to capture large-stretch mechanical behavior with parameters that are connected to the polymer chemistry and can also be easily identified with the important characteristics of the macroscopic stress–stretch response. The microscopic picture consists of two components: a crosslinked network of Langevin chains and an entangled network with chains confined to a nonaffine tube. These represent, respectively, changes in entropy due to thermally averaged chain conformations and changes in entropy due to the magnitude of these conformational fluctuations. A simple analytical form for the strain energy density is obtained using Rubinstein and Panyukov's single-chain description of network behavior. The model only depends on three parameters that together define the initial modulus, extent of strain softening, and the onset of strain hardening. Fits to large stretch data for natural rubber, silicone rubber, VHB 4905 (polyacrylate rubber), and b186 rubber (a carbon black-filled rubber) are presented, and a comparison is made with other similar constitutive models of large-stretch rubber elasticity. We demonstrate that the proposed model provides a complete description of elastomers undergoing large deformations for different applied loading configurations. Moreover, since the strain energy is obtained using a clear set of physical assumptions, this model may be tested and used to interpret the results of computer simulation and experiments on polymers of known microscopic structure.

Texture, misorientation and mechanical anisotropy in a deformed dual phase stainless steel weld joint

Abstract: The deformation behavior of a duplex stainless steel weld joint is studied. A detailed texture analysis shows that the increase of the deformation percentage leads to a reinforcement of all possible {hkl}〈111〉 and {hkl}〈100〉 components in austenite, and of the {hkl}〈110〉 components in ferrite for both the base metal (BM) and the heat affected zone (HAZ). In the weld metal (WM), a strong scatter of the crystallographic orientation relationship (OR) initially found in the solidification microstructure is recorded after deformation. The analysis of the Kernel Average Misorientation (KAM) distribution shows that the deformation is more concentrated in the base metal than in the other parts of the weld joint. The final mechanical behavior studied through microhardness measurement and micromechanical calculations, allows us to separate the contribution of both microstructural and textural evolution to the overall strain hardening of the weld joint.

Modification of texture and microstructure of magnesium alloy extrusions by particle-stimulated recrystallization

Abstract: Conventional magnesium alloy Mg–1Zn–0.4Zr and a modified version of the same alloy containing Nd-based rare earth mischmetal and Y were extruded at 400 °C to study dynamic recrystallization and its role in the microstructure and texture development. Second phase particles in the modified alloy seemed to generate new orientations other than the deformed orientation. Although this occurred within small volume fraction of the material, the respective recrystallizing grains grew up to considerable sizes consuming larger volumes of the extruded microstructure and dominating the bulk texture. The consequent mechanical behavior tested in plane strain compression at room temperature demonstrated improved strain hardening behavior and enhanced ambient formability relative to the conventional alloy due to well-scattered texture and prolonged activity of basal slip within a large volume of the deformed microstructure.

Strain rate dependent tensile behavior of advanced high strength steels: Experiment and constitutive modeling

Abstract: High strain rate tensile tests were conducted for three advanced high strength steels: DP780, DP980 and TRIP780. A high strain rate tensile test machine was used for applying the strain rate ranging from 0.1/s to 500/s. Details of the measured stress–strain responses were comparatively analyzed for the DP780 and TRIP780 steels which show similar microstructural feature and ultimate tensile strength, but different strengthening mechanisms. The experimental observations included: usual strain rate dependent plastic flow stress behavior in terms of the yield stress (YS), the ultimate tensile strength (UTS), the uniform elongation (UE) and the total elongation (TE) which were observed for the three materials. But, higher strain hardening rate at early plastic strain under quasi-static condition than that of some increased strain rates was featured for TRIP780 steel, which might result from more active transformation during deformation with lower velocity. The uniform elongation that explains the onset of instability and the total elongation were larger in case of TRIP steel than the DP steel for the whole strain rate range, but interestingly the fracture strain measured by the reduction of area (RA) method showed that the TRIP steel has lower values than DP steel. The fractographs using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) at the fractured surfaces were analyzed to relate measured fracture strain and the microstructural difference of the two materials during the process of fracture under various strain rates. Finally, constitutive modeling for the plastic flow stresses under various strain rates was provided in this study. The proposed constitutive law could represent both Hollomon-like and Voce-like hardening laws and the ratio between the two hardening types was efficiently controlled as a function of strain rate. The new strength model was validated successfully under various strain rates for several grades of steels such as mild steels, DP780, TRIP780, DP980 steels.

Effects of Heat Treatment on the Ballistic Impact Properties of Inconel 718 for Jet Engine Fan Containment Applications

Abstract: The effects of heat treating Inconel 718 on the ballistic impact response and failure mechanisms were studied. Two different annealing conditions and an aged condition were considered. Large differences in the static properties were found between the annealed and the aged material, with the annealed condition having lower strength and hardness and greater elongation than the aged. High strain rate tests show similar results. Correspondingly large differences were found in the velocity required to penetrate material in the two conditions in impact tests involving 12.5 mm diameter, 25.4 mm long cylindrical Ti-6-4 projectiles impacting flat plates at velocities in the range of 150 to 300 m/sec. The annealed material was able to absorb over 25 percent more energy than the aged. This is contrary to results observed for ballistic impact response for higher velocity impacts typically encountered in military applications where it has been shown that there exists a correlation between target hardness and ballistic impact strength. Metallographic examination of impacted plates showed strong indication of failure due to adiabatic shear. In both materials localized bands of large shear deformation were apparent, and microhardness measurements indicated an increase in hardness in these bands compared to the surrounding material. These bands were more localized in the aged material than in the annealed material. In addition the annealed material underwent significantly greater overall deformation before failure. The results indicate that lower elongation and reduced strain hardening behavior lead to a transition from shear to adiabatic shear failure, while high elongation and better strain hardening capabilities reduce the tendency for shear to localize and result in an unstable adiabatic shear failure. This supports empirical containment design methods that relate containment thickness to the static toughness.