Formability of TWIP (twinning induced plasticity) automotive sheets

The main objective of this work is to experimentally and numerically evaluate the macro-performance of the automotive TWIP (twinning induced plasticity) sheet in conjunction with formability. In order to characterize the mechanical properties, the simple tension and compression tests were performed for anisotropic properties, while the strain rate test was carried out to evaluate strain rate sensitivity. The forming limit diagram was measured and incorporated into the simulation program, while the theoretical prediction of the diffuse and localized necking was also carried out utilizing Hill’s and the M-K theories as well as Dorn’s and Swift’s diffuse theories. Note that the generalized criteria of Hill’s, Dorn’s and Swift’s theories were derived for general anisotropic sheets as well in this work. For numerical simulations, the anisotropic yield functions Yld2000-2d and Hill48 as well as the isotropic Mises yield function were selectively applied along with the isotropic hardening law. Formability verification was performed, utilizing Yld2000-2d, for the hemispherical dome stretching, notch and simple tension tests with specimens selectively prepared by milling and punching, while anisotropic properties were verified through the three point bending and cylindrical cup drawing tests, comparing the performance of the three yield functions.     

A modified damage model for advanced high strength steel sheets

More often than not, better formability in the simple tension test implies better formability performance in other stretching modes, especially in hole expansion performance since deformation in the hole expansion test is perceived to be in the same simple tension deformation mode. However, when the hole expansion formability is evaluated particularly for the twinning induced plasticity (TWIP) steel, its performance is so poor compared to other automotive steels, even though the TWIP steel has significantly superior formability in the simple tension test. Therefore, hole expansion formability was experimentally and numerically studied for advanced high-strength grade steel sheets, TWIP940 and a transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) 590 steel sheet, as well as a high-strength grade 340R steel sheet, particularly in conjunction with formability in the simple tension test and its surface condition sensitivity. In order to characterize mechanical properties, simple tension tests were performed to determine anisotropic properties and strain rate sensitivities. To account for macro-crack formation, an inverse calibration method based on a damage model utilizing a triaxiality-dependent fracture criterion and hardening behavior with stiffness deterioration was developed. In this approach, the damage model was inversely calibrated by performing numerical simulations and experiments for the simple tension test (with specimens prepared by milling and punching). Then, the damage model was applied to formability study in the hole expansion test. The damage model along with the anisotropic yield function Hill (1948) incorporated into the ABAQUS/Explicit FEM code performed well to predict hole expansion ratios (HER) and their surface condition sensitivity, elucidating the cause of the lukewarm hole expansion performance and strong surface condition sensitivity of the TWIP steel compared to the others.     

Effects of superimposed hydrostatic pressure on sheet metal formability

The effect of superimposed hydrostatic pressure on sheet metal formability is studied analytically and numerically. A tensile sample of power-law hardening material under superimposed hydrostatic pressure is first analyzed using the classical isotropic plasticity theory. It is demonstrated that the superimposed hydrostatic pressure p lowers the true tensile stress level at yielding by the amount of p, while material work-hardening is independent of p. It is showed, based on the Considère criterion, that the superimposed hydrostatic pressure increases the uniform strain. The effect of superimposed hydrostatic pressure on sheet metal formability is further assessed by constructing the Forming Limit Diagram (FLD) based on the M-K approach. It is found that the superimposed pressure delays the initiation of necking for any strain path. The difference in predicted FLDs between the superimposed hydrostatic pressure and the stress component normal to the sheet plane is demonstrated. Finally, the effect of superimposed hydrostatic pressure on fracture in round bars under tension is studied numerically using the finite element method, based on the Gurson damage model. The experimentally observed transition of the fracture surface, from the cup-cone mode under atmospheric pressure to a slant structure under high pressure, is numerically reproduced.     

Necking of anisotropic micro-films with strain-gradient effects

Necking of stubby micro-films of aluminum is investigated numerically by considering tension of a specimen with an initial imperfection used to onset localisation. Plastic anisotropy is represented by two different yield criteria and strain-gradient effects are accounted for using the visco-plastic finite strain model. Furthermore, the model is extended to isotropic anisotropic hardening （evolving anisotropy）. For isotropic hardening plastic anisotropy affects the predicted overall nominal stress level, while the peak stress remains at an overall logarithmic strain corresponding to the hardening exponent. This holds true for both local and nonlocal materials. Anisotropic hardening delays the point of maximum overall nominal stress.     

Macro-performance evaluation of friction stir welded automotive tailor-welded blank sheets: Part II – Formability

Formability of automotive friction stir welded TWB (tailor-welded blank) sheets was experimentally and numerically investigated in this work for four automotive sheets, aluminum alloy 6111-T4, 5083-H18, 5083-O and DP590 steel sheets, each having one or two different thicknesses. In particular, formability in three applications including the simple tension test with various weld line directions, hemisphere dome stretching and cylindrical cup drawing tests was evaluated. For numerical simulations, mechanical properties previously characterized in a joint paper (Chung et al., 2010) were utilized. To represent the mechanical properties, the non-quadratic orthogonal anisotropic yield function, Yld2000-2d, was utilized along with the (full) isotropic hardening law, while the anisotropy of the weld zone was ignored for simplicity.     

Experimental and numerical study on formability of friction stir welded TWB sheets based on hemispherical dome stretch tests

In order to investigate formability performance and also to obtain guidelines for the stamping process design of friction stir welded TWB (tailor welded blank) sheets, the hemispherical dome stretching test was experimentally performed and the results of the base and friction stir welded samples were compared. Also, in order to better understand the experimental results, numerical analysis was performed. In this work, five automotive sheets, 6111-T4, 5083-H18, 5083-O aluminum alloy, dual-phase steel (DP590) and AZ31 magnesium alloy sheets were considered by (friction stir) welding the same materials. To represent mechanical properties for the numerical analysis, the non-quadratic orthotropic yield function, Yld2000-2d, was utilized for the aluminum alloy and DP590 sheets, while the Cazacu anisotropic/asymmetric yield function was applied for the AZ31 sheet considering different hardening behavior in tension and compression.     

An efficient constitutive model for room-temperature,low-rate plasticity of annealed Mg AZ31B sheet

Metals and alloys with hexagonal close packed (HCP) crystal structures can undergo twinning in addition to dislocation slip when loaded mechanically. The complexity of the plastic response and the limited extent of twinning are impediments to their room-temperature formability and thus their widespread adoption. In order to exploit the unusual deformation characteristics of twinning sheet materials in designing novel forming operations, a practical plane stress material model for finite element implementation was sought. Such a model, TWINLAW, has been constructed based on three phenomenological deformation modes for Mg AZ31B: S (slip), T (twinning), and U (untwinning). The modes correspond to three testing regimes: initial in-plane tension (from the annealed state), initial in-plane compression, and in-plane tension following compression, respectively. A von Mises yield surface with initial non-zero back stress was employed to account for plastic yielding asymmetry, with evolution according to a novel isotropic and nonlinear kinematic hardening model. Texture and its evolution were represented throughout deformation using a weighted discrete probability density function of c-axis orientations. The orientation of c-axes evolves with twinning or untwinning using explicit rules incorporated in the model.     

Stress–strain behaviour of aluminium alloys at a wide range of strain rates

The stress–strain behaviour of extruded AA6xxx and AA7xxx aluminium alloys in T6 temper was studied at a wide range of strain rates. Tensile tests at low to medium strain rates were performed in a standard tensile test machine, while a split-Hopkinson tension bar was used to carry out tests at high rates of strain. Extruded aluminium alloys have anisotropic mechanical properties, and tests were therefore done in three directions with respect to the extrusion direction. It is found that the AA6xxx alloys exhibit no significant rate sensitivity in the stress–strain behaviour, while moderate rate sensitivity was found for the AA7xxx alloys. There seems to be no significant difference between the rate sensitivity in the three tensile directions. The experimental data were used to identify the parameters of a thermo-viscoplastic constitutive relation for the extruded alloys, which includes the effects of strain hardening, strain-rate hardening, thermal softening and plastic anisotropy.     

Forming of AA5182-O and AA5754-O at elevated temperatures using coupled thermo-mechanical finite element models

A temperature-dependent anisotropic material model was developed for two aluminum alloys AA5182-O and AA5754-O and their anisotropy parameters were established. A coupled thermo-mechanical finite element analysis of the forming process was then performed for the temperature range 25–260 °C (77–500 °F) at different strain rates. In the developed model, the anisotropy coefficients for Barlat’s YLD2000-2d anisotropic yield function [Barlat, F., Brem, J.C., Yoon, J.W., Chung, K., Dick, R.E., Lege, D.J., Pourboghrat, F., Choi, S.H., Chu, E., 2003. Plane stress yield function for aluminum alloy sheets – Part 1: Theory. Int. J. Plasticity 19, 1297–1319] in the plane-stress condition and the parameters for the isotropic strain hardening were established as a function of temperature. The temperature-dependent anisotropic yield function was then implemented into the commercial FEM code LS-DYNA as a user material subroutine (UMAT) using the cutting-plane algorithm for the integration of a general class of elastoplastic constitutive models [Abedrabbo, N., Pourboghrat, F., Carsley, J., 2006b. Forming of aluminum alloys at elevated temperatures – Part 2: Numerical modeling and experimental verification. Int. J. Plasticity 22 (2), 342–737]. The temperature-dependent material model was used to simulate the coupled thermo-mechanical finite element analysis of the stamping of an aluminum sheet using a hemispherical punch under the pure stretch boundary condition (no material draw-in was allowed). Simulation results were compared with experimental data at several elevated temperatures to evaluate the accuracy of the UMAT’s ability to predict both forming behavior and failure locations. Two failure criteria were used in the analysis; the M–K strain based forming limit diagrams (ε-FLD), and the stress based forming limit diagrams (σ-FLD). Both models were developed using Barlat’s YLD2000-2d anisotropic model for the two materials at several elevated temperatures. Also, as a design tool, the Genetic Algorithm optimization program HEEDS was linked with the developed thermo-mechanical models and used to numerically predict the “optimum” set of temperatures that would generate the maximum formability for the two materials in the pure stretch experiments. It was found that a higher temperature is not needed to form the part, but rather the punch should be maintained at the lowest temperature possible for maximum formability.     

A non-associated constitutive model with mixed iso-kinematic hardening for finite element simulation of sheet metal forming

In this paper an anisotropic material model based on non-associated flow rule and mixed isotropic–kinematic hardening was developed and implemented into a user-defined material (UMAT) subroutine for the commercial finite element code ABAQUS. Both yield function and plastic potential were defined in the form of Hill’s [Hill, R., 1948. A theory of the yielding and plastic flow of anisotropic metals. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A 193, 281–297] quadratic anisotropic function, where the coefficients for the yield function were determined from the yield stresses in different material orientations, and those of the plastic potential were determined from the r-values in different directions. Isotropic hardening follows a nonlinear behavior, generally in the power law form for most grades of steel and the exponential law form for aluminum alloys. Also, a kinematic hardening law was implemented to account for cyclic loading effects. The evolution of the backstress tensor was modeled based on the nonlinear kinematic hardening theory (Armstrong–Frederick formulation). Computational plasticity equations were then formulated by using a return-mapping algorithm to integrate the stress over each time increment. Either explicit or implicit time integration schemes can be used for this model. Finally, the implemented material model was utilized to simulate two sheet metal forming processes: the cup drawing of AA2090-T3, and the springback of the channel drawing of two sheet materials (DP600 and AA6022-T43). Experimental cyclic shear tests were carried out in order to determine the cyclic stress–strain behavior and the Bauschinger ratio. The in-plane anisotropy (r-value and yield stress directionalities) of these sheet materials was also compared with the results of numerical simulations using the non-associated model. These results showed that this non-associated, mixed hardening model significantly improves the prediction of earing in the cup drawing process and the prediction of springback in the sidewall of drawn channel sections, even when a simple quadratic constitutive model is used.     

Hyperelastic constitutive model for rubber-like materials based on the first Seth strain measures invariant

The mechanical behaviour of isotropic and incompressible vulcanized natural rubbers (NR's) and that of quasi-incompressible carbon black filled vulcanized natural rubbers (NR 70) are considered both theoretically and experimentally. We start by generalising the neo-Hookean model to derive an original form of the strain energy density function (W). W satisfies the hypothesis of the Valanis–Landel function, which allows reducing the number of needed experimental tests to identify the parameters of the model. In the present study, in the order to identity the analytical form of W, we undertake only simple tension tests. The two-dimensional field of in-plane homogeneous displacements is determined here using a home-developed image analysis cross-correlation technique. Our model is also identified using results taken from the literature in the case of (NR's) for different types of solicitations, including simple tension, equibiaxial tension and pure shear deformation. Comparison of numerical results with the experimental data indicates that the present model can characterise the hyperelastic behaviour of NR's and that of NR 70 for all the tested modes of deformation. Moreover, it seems to be valid over a wide range of deformation intervals.     

Anisotropic response of high-purity α-titanium: Experimental characterization and constitutive modeling

This paper presents a comprehensive experimental and theoretical investigation of the deformation behavior of high-purity, polycrystalline α-titanium under quasi-static conditions at room temperature. The initial material in this study was a cross-rolled plate with a strong basal texture. To quantify the plastic anisotropy and the tension–compression asymmetry of this material, monotonic tensile and compressive tests were conducted, on samples cut along different directions of the plate. A new anisotropic elastic/plastic model was developed to describe the quasi-static macroscopic response of the aggregate. Key in its formulation is the use of an anisotropic yield criterion that captures strength-differential effects and an anisotropic hardening rule that accounts for texture evolution associated to twinning. A very good agreement between FE simulations using the model developed and uniaxial data was obtained.     

Anisotropic plasticity for sheet metals using the concept of combined isotropic-kinematic hardening

Hill's 1948 anisotropic theory of plasticity (Hill, R., 1948. A theory of yielding and plastic flow of anisotropic metals. Proc. Roy. Soc. London A193, 281–297) is extended to include the concept of combined isotropic-kinematic hardening, and the objective of this paper is to validate the model so that it may be useful for analyses of sheet metal forming. Isotropic hardening and kinematic hardening may be experimentally observed in sheet metals, if yielding is defined by the proportional limit or by a small proof strain. In this paper, a single exponential term is used to describe isotropic hardening and Prager's linear kinematic hardening rule is applied for simplicity. It is shown that this model can satisfactorily describe both the yield stress and the plastic strain ratio, the R-ratio, observed in tension test of specimens cut at various angles measured from the rolling direction of the sheet. Kinematic hardening leads to a gradual change in the direction of the plastic strain increment, as the axial strain increases in the tension test; while in the traditional approach for sheet metal, this direction does not change due to the use of isotropic hardening.     

Texture gradient simulations for extrusion and reversible rolling of FCC metals

A texture simulation method is described for some complex plane strain deformation paths during hot shaping of FCC metals. The method employs both finite element calculations and a polycrystal plasticity model based on the Relaxed-Constraints (RC) Taylor hypothesis and a viscoplastic constitutive law. We have considered the {111}<110> slip systems and the {100}, {110}, {112} <110> non-octahedral slip systems. The finite element codes simulate the strain paths of material flow during a shaping process. The local velocity gradients, expressed in the macroscopic reference coordinates, are rewritten in the local flow line coordinates using a kinematic analysis for steady-state flow. Secondly, for the different deformation paths, the RC polycrystal plasticity model is used to numerically simulate the local deformation texture evolutions as a function of depth. Texture simulations are carried out for two deformation processes combining hot compression and shear: extrusion and reversible rolling. For extrusion, the simulated pole figures and ODFs show the typical texture variations through the thickness of an extruded 6082 aluminium alloys, i.e. (β-fibre in the centre and a TD rotated copper component near the surface. It is shown that hot reversible rolling should develop a strong pure shear texture {001}<110> near the surface.     

Finite element and experimental method for analyzing the effects of martensite morphologies on the formability of DP steels

Abstract

In this article, we investigated the effect of martensite morphology on the mechanical properties and formability of dual phase steels. At first, three heat treatment cycles were subjected to a low-carbon steel to produce ferrite–martensite microstructure with martensite morphology of blocky-shaped, continuous, and fibrous. Tensile tests were then carried out so as to study mechanical properties, particularly the strength and strain hardening behavior of dual phase steels. In order to study the formability of dual phase samples, Forming Limit Diagram was obtained experimentally and numerically. Experimental forming limit diagram was obtained using Nakazima forming test, while Finite Element Method was utilized to numerically predict the forming limit diagram. The results indicated that the dual phase samples with fibrous martensite morphology had the highest tensile properties and strain rate hardening out of the three different microstructures. Blocky-shaped martensite morphology, on the other hand, had the worst mechanical properties. The study of the strain hardening behavior of dual phase sample by Kocks–Mecking-type plots, evinced two stages of strain hardening for all specimens with different microstructures: stages III and IV. The forming limit diagram of dual phase steels also proved that samples with fibrous martensite morphology had the best formability compared to other two microstructures. The simulated forming limit diagram manifested that there is a good agreement between experimental results and those obtained by FEM.     

Characterization of mechanical properties by indentation tests and FE analysis – validation by application to a weld zone of DP590 steel

In this work, the mechanical properties of the metal active gas (MAG) weld zone and heat affected zone (HAZ) were characterized utilizing the continuous indentation method together with its finite element (FEM) analysis. To verify the measured properties, uni-axial tension and three point bending tests were performed for DP590 welded specimens. For numerical simulations, the isotropic hardening law was assumed along with the non-quadratic anisotropic yield function, Yld2000-2d. As for the failure criterion of the base material and weld zones particularly for the failure evaluation in the uni-axial tension test, Hill’s bifurcation theory and the M–K theory were applied to calculate the forming limit diagrams considering all measured properties including strain-rate sensitivity.     

Plastic flow for non-monotonic loading conditions of an aluminum alloy sheet sample

Non-linear deformation paths obtained using uniaxial tension followed by simple shear tests were performed for a 1050-O aluminum alloy sheet sample in different specimen orientations with respect to the material symmetry axes. In order to eliminate the time influence, the time interval between the first and second loading steps was kept constant for all the tests. Monotonic uniaxial tension tests interrupted during loading were used to assess the recovery that takes place during this time. In order to eliminate the influence of the initial plastic anisotropy and to compare the results as if the material hardening was isotropic, the flow stress was represented as a function of the plastic work. The behavior of the material after reloading was analyzed in terms of dislocation microstructure and crystallographic texture evolutions. For more quantitative assessment, the full constraints [Int. J. Plasticity 13 (1997) 75] and visco-plastic self-consistent [Acta Metall. Mater. 41 (1993) 2611] polycrystal models were used to simulate the material behavior in the non-linear deformation paths. Based on experimental and simulation results, the relative contributions of the crystallographic texture and dislocation microstructure evolution to the anisotropic hardening behavior of the material were discussed.     

Determining Stress–Strain in Rubber with In-Plane Biaxial Tensile Tester

The nominal stress–strain relationships of industrial rubber materials under multiaxial deformation are essential for precisely determining the constitutive laws of those materials. This paper proposes a new method for precisely estimating the nominal stress–stretch relationships of carbon-black-filled styrene butadiene rubbers (SBRs) under uniaxial tension, pure shear, and equibiaxial tension by using an in-plane biaxial tensile tester. The proposed method employs sheet-shaped rubber samples with notches for the pure-shear and equibiaxial tension tests to mitigate the influence of non-uniform deformation around the clamps. Finite element analysis and biaxial tensile tests were performed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Performance evaluations based on both numerical calculations and experiments revealed that the proposed method enabled the precise calculation of the nominal stress–stretch relationship for uniform deformation from a tensile load and deformation of the reference area defined at the center of the samples.     

Practical limitations to the influence of through-thickness normal stress on sheet metal formability

According to a recent (original) model, when hardening properties and the ratio of through-thickness normal stress to the first principal stress (γ≡σ₃/σ₁) are held constant, sheet metal formability can be increased dramatically through the introduction of a compressive through-thickness normal stress, σ₃. In practice, however, both the hardening properties and γ evolve with the progression of deformation. To manage most efficiently the evolution of the hardening properties and γ, the original model is cast into a more compact form and presented as a proposed alternative form (proposed model). When the evolution of the hardening properties and γ is considered, the proposed model is shown to be in very good agreement with observed data; the influence of through-thickness normal stress on sheet metal formability is quite small for all practical purposes. Because the structure of the original model is similar to that of the proposed model, the original model is also validated. Ultimately, it is verified that although the theory of the original and proposed model may be acceptable, the implications of such theories are less profound than those first proposed when practical limitations are considered. This work serves as a useful basis for: (1) further understanding the limitations of the influence of compressive through-thickness normal stress on sheet metal formability and (2) exploring opportunities for improving sheet metal formability.     

A plane stress anisotropic plastic flow theory for orthotropic sheet metals

A phenomenological theory is presented for describing the anisotropic plastic flow of orthotropic polycrystalline aluminum sheet metals under plane stress. The theory uses a stress exponent, a rate-dependent effective flow strength function, and five anisotropic material functions to specify a flow potential, an associated flow rule of plastic strain rates, a flow rule of plastic spin, and an evolution law of isotropic hardening of a sheet metal. Each of the five anisotropic material functions may be represented by a truncated Fourier series based on the orthotropic symmetry of the sheet metal and their Fourier coefficients can be determined using experimental data obtained from uniaxial tension and equal biaxial tension tests. Depending on the number of uniaxial tension tests conducted, three models with various degrees of planar anisotropy are constructed based on the proposed plasticity theory for power-law strain hardening sheet metals. These models are applied successfully to describe the anisotropic plastic flow behavior of 10 commercial aluminum alloy sheet metals reported in the literature.