Ratcheting of cyclically hardening and softening materials: I. Uniaxial behavior

The phenomenon of ratcheting of materials cyclically loaded in the plastic range is studied through combined experimental and analytical efforts (ratcheting here describes the cyclic accumulation of deformation). In particular the work seeks to illustrate how cyclic hardening and softening influence ratcheting. To this end, systematic sets of experiments were performed on stainless steel 304 and carbon steel 1018 which, respectively, exhibit cyclic hardening and softening. Due to the wide variety of behavior observed, and to better illustrate the modelling challenges, the results are divided into uniaxial and multiaxial behavior, and are presented in Parts I and II, respectively. In Part I, the results from a series of uniaxial stress-controlled experiments are presented, which illustrate the parametric dependence of ratcheting in the two materials examined. Results from a set of auxiliary strain-controlled experiments required for quantifying the cyclic hardening and softening characteristics of the materials are also presented. In a preceding publication, the authors demonstrated that ratcheting in cyclically stable materials could be simulated with consistent accuracy by allowing the bounds of the two-surface model of Dafalias-Popov to translate in the direction of ratcheting at the rate of ratcheting. This modified model, coupled with previously developed schemes for simulating cyclic hardening in strain-controlled cycling, are used to simulate the experimental results developed. Strengths, weaknesses and plausible alternatives are critically presented. The results are quite promising.     

Uniaxial ratcheting and fatigue failure of tempered 42CrMo steel: Damage evolution and damage-coupled visco-plastic constitutive model

Uniaxial ratcheting and fatigue failure of tempered 42CrMo steel were observed by the tests under the uniaxial stress-controlled cyclic loading with non-zero mean stress [G.Z. Kang, Y.J. Liu, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 472 (2008) 258–268]. Based on the obtained experimental results, the evolution features of whole-life ratcheting behavior and low-cycle fatigue (LCF) damage of the material were discussed first. Then, in the framework of unified visco-plasticity and continuum damage mechanics, a damage-coupled visco-plastic cyclic constitutive model was proposed to simulate the whole-life ratcheting and predict the fatigue failure life of the material presented in the uniaxial stress cycling with non-zero mean stress. In the proposed model, the damage was divided into two parts, i.e., elastic damage and plastic damage, which were described by the evolution equations with the same form but different constants, since the maximum applied stresses in most of loading cases were lower than the nominal yielding strength of the material. The ratcheting of the material was still described by employing a nonlinear kinematic hardening rule based on the Abdel-Karim–Ohno combined kinematic hardening model [M. Abdel Karim, N. Ohno, Int. J. Plast. 16 (2000) 225–240] but extended by considering the effect of damage. The maximum strain criterion combined with an elastic damage threshold was employed to determine the failure life of the material caused by two different failure modes, i.e., fatigue failure (caused by low-cycle fatigue due to plastic shakedown) and ductile failure (caused by large ratcheting strain). The simulated whole-life ratcheting behavior and predicted failure life of tempered 42CrMo steel are in a fairly good agreement with the experimental ones.     

A generalized anisotropic hardening rule based on the Mroz multi-yield-surface model for pressure insensitive and sensitive materials

In this paper, a generalized anisotropic hardening rule based on the Mroz multi-yield-surface model for pressure insensitive and sensitive materials is derived. The evolution equation for the active yield surface with reference to the memory yield surface is obtained by considering the continuous expansion of the active yield surface during the unloading/reloading process. The incremental constitutive relation based on the associated flow rule is then derived for a general yield function for pressure insensitive and sensitive materials. Detailed incremental constitutive relations for materials based on the Mises yield function, the Hill quadratic anisotropic yield function and the Drucker–Prager yield function are derived as the special cases. The closed-form solutions for one-dimensional stress–plastic strain curves are also derived and plotted for materials under cyclic loading conditions based on the three yield functions. In addition, the closed-form solutions for one-dimensional stress–plastic strain curves for materials based on the isotropic Cazacu–Barlat yield function under cyclic loading conditions are summarized and presented. For materials based on the Mises and the Hill anisotropic yield functions, the stress–plastic strain curves show closed hysteresis loops under uniaxial cyclic loading conditions and the Masing hypothesis is applicable. For materials based on the Drucker–Prager and Cazacu–Barlat yield functions, the stress–plastic strain curves do not close and show the ratcheting effect under uniaxial cyclic loading conditions. The ratcheting effect is due to different strain ranges for a given stress range for the unloading and reloading processes. With these closed-form solutions, the important effects of the yield surface geometry on the cyclic plastic behavior due to the pressure-sensitive yielding or the unsymmetric behavior in tension and compression can be shown unambiguously. The closed form solutions for the Drucker–Prager and Cazacu–Barlat yield functions with the associated flow rule also suggest that a more general anisotropic hardening theory needs to be developed to address the ratcheting effects for a given stress range.     

Macro versus micro-scale constitutive models in simulating proportional and nonproportional cyclic and ratcheting responses of stainless steel 304

A recent study by Hassan et al. [Hassan, T., Taleb, L., Krishna, S., 2008. Influences of nonproportional loading paths on ratcheting responses and simulations by two recent cyclic plasticity models. Int. J. Plasticity, 24, 1863–1889.] demonstrated that some of the nonproportional ratcheting responses under stress-controlled loading histories cannot be simulated reasonably by two recent cyclic plasticity models. Two major drawbacks of the models identified were: (i) the stainless steel 304 demonstrated cyclic hardening under strain-controlled loading whereas cyclic softening under stress-controlled loading, which depends on the strain-range and which the existing models cannot describe; (ii) the change in biaxial ratcheting responses due to the change in the degree of nonproportionality were not simulated well by the models. Motivated by these findings, two modified cyclic plasticity models are evaluated in predicting a broad set of cyclic and ratcheting response of stainless steel 304. The experimental responses used in evaluating the modified models included both proportional (uniaxial) and nonproportional (biaxial) loading responses from Hassan and Kyriakides [Hassan, T., Kyriakides, S., 1994a. Ratcheting of cyclically hardening and softening materials. Part I: uniaxial behavior. Int. J. Plasticity, 10, 149–184; Hassan, T., Kyriakides, S., 1994b. Ratcheting of cyclically hardening and softening materials. Part II: multiaxial behavior. Int. J. Plasticity, 10, 185–212.] and Hassan et al. [Hassan, T., Taleb, L., Krishna, S., 2008. Influences of nonproportional loading paths on ratcheting responses and simulations by two recent cyclic plasticity models. Int. J. Plasticity, 24, 1863–1889.] The first model studied is a macro-scale, phenomenological, constitutive model originally proposed by Chaboche et al. [Chaboche, J.L., Dang-Van, K., Cordier, G., 1979. Modelization of the strain memory effect on the cyclic hardening of 316 stainless steel. In: Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on SMiRT, Div. L, Berlin, Germany, L11/3.]. This model was systematically modified for incorporating strain-range dependent cyclic hardening–softening, and proportional and nonproportional loading memory parameters. The second model evaluated is a polycrystalline model originally proposed by Cailletaud [Cailletaud, G., 1992. A micromechanical approach to inelastic behavior of metals. Int. J. Plasticity, 8, 55–73.] based on crystalline slip mechanisms. These two models are scrutinized against simulating hysteresis loop shape, cyclic hardening–softening, cross-effect, cyclic relaxation, subsequent cyclic softening and finally a broad set of ratcheting responses under uniaxial and biaxial loading histories. The modeling features which improved simulations for these responses are elaborated in the paper. In addition, a novel technique for simulating both the monotonic and cyclic responses with one set of model parameters is developed and validated.     

Viscoplasticity theory based on overstress. The prediction of monotonic and cyclic proportional and nonproportional loading paths of an aluminum alloy

An isotropic formulation of the viscoplasticity theory for small strain and based on overstress with a differential growth law for the equilibrium stress is introduced. The four material constants and the two material functions of the theory are determined from uniaxial tensile tests involving strain-rate changes at room temperature and performed on a 6061 T6 Aluminum Alloy. Subsequently the theory is used to predict the biaxial behavior under axialtorsion loading. All tests are under strain control and involve proportional loading and axial followed by torsional straining (and vice versa). Cyclic histories include in-phase and out-of-phase cycling. The predictions of the theory are very reasonable for this cyclically neutral alloy. For cyclic hardening or softening materials a modification of the theory is necessary and is under development.     

考虑塑性应变记忆恢复的循环棘轮本构模型研究

在统一粘塑性循环本构理论框架下,以Ohno-Abdel-Karim非线性随动硬化模型为基础,建立了一个循环本构模型。模型通过引入塑性应变幅值记忆效应,并在塑性应变记忆项中加入恢复系数,提高了对循环硬化材料单轴棘轮行为的预言能力。将模型应用于316L不锈钢单轴棘轮行为的描述中,模拟不同平均应力、应力幅值下的棘轮应变,均与实验数据吻合较好,证明本文改进的本构模型能合理地描述循环硬化材料的单轴棘轮行为。     

304不锈钢室温和高温单轴循环塑性的实验研究

对304不锈钢进行了室温和高温单轴应变控制和应力控制下的系统循环试验。揭示和分析了循环应变幅值、平均应变及其历史和温度历史对材料应变循环特性的影响以及应力幅值、平均应力及其历史以及温度对循环棘轮行为的影响。也讨论了应变循环和应力循环间交互作用对材料循环塑性行为的影响。研究表明,无益单轴应变循环特性还是非对称单轴应力循环下的棘轮效应不仅取决于当前温度和加载状态,而且强烈依赖于其加载历史。研究得到了一些有助于304不锈钢室温和高温单轴循环行为本构描述的结果。     

Uniaxial ratcheting and failure behaviors of two steels

The strain cyclic characteristics, ratcheting and failure behaviors of 25CDV4.11 steel and SS304 stainless steel were experimentally studied under uniaxial cyclic tests and at room temperature. The cyclic hardening/softening features of the materials were first observed under uniaxial strain cycling; and then the ratcheting and failure behaviors of the materials were researched in detail under cyclic stressing. The effects of stress amplitude and mean stress on the ratcheting and failure were discussed under uniaxial asymmetrical stress cycling. It is concluded that the ratcheting and failure behaviors of the materials depend greatly on the cyclic softening/hardening features of the materials and the stress values of cyclic loading. Some conclusions useful to understand the fatigue failure of the materials presented under asymmetrical cyclic stressing are obtained.     

Uniaxial ratcheting of SS304 stainless steel at high temperatures: visco-plastic constitutive model

The uniaxial ratcheting of SS304 stainless steel at high temperatures (300, 600 and 700 °C) were analyzed experimentally, and described by a cyclic constitutive visco-plasticity model. The rate dependence of the material was accounted for by introducing a viscous term. The cyclic hardening and cyclic flow behavior of the material under asymmetrical stress-controlled cycling were described by the evolution rules of kinematic hardening back stress and isotropic deforming resistance. Under the isothermal condition, temperature effect was included by terms involving temperature in the evolution equations of isotropic deforming resistance. The effect of load history on ratcheting was also considered by introducing a fading memory function of the maximum inelastic strain amplitude and isotropic deformation resistance. After the material constants were determined from the experimental data, the uniaxial ratcheting of SS304 stainless steel was numerically simulated and compared with the corresponding experimental results at high temperatures. The predicted results agree well with the experimental ones.     

Benchmark experiments and characteristic cyclic plasticity deformation

Key issues in cyclic plasticity modeling are discussed based upon representative experimental observations on several commonly used engineering materials. Cyclic plasticity is characterized by the Bauschinger effect, cyclic hardening/softening, strain range effect, nonproporitonal hardening, and strain ratcheting. Additional hardening is identified to associate with ratcheting rate decay. Proper modeling requires a clear distinction among different types of cyclic plasticity behavior. Cyclic hardening/softening sustains dependent on the loading amplitude and loading history. Strain range effect is common for most engineering metallic materials. Often, nonproportional hardening is accompanied by cyclic hardening, as being observed on stainless steels and pure copper. A clarification of the two types of material behavior can be made through benchmark experiments and modeling technique. Ratcheting rate decay is a common observation on a number of materials and it often follows a power law relationship with the number of loading cycles under the constant amplitude stress controlled condition. Benchmark experiments can be used to explore the different cyclic plasticity properties of the materials. Discussions about proper modeling are based on the typical cyclic plasticity phenomena obtained from testing several engineering materials under various uniaxial and multiaxial cyclic loading conditions. Sufficient experimental evidence points to the unambiguous conclusion that none of the hardening phenomena (cyclic hardening/softening, strain range effect, nonproportional hardening, and strain hardening associated with ratcheting rate decay) is isotropic in nature. None of the hardening behavior can be properly modeled with a change in the yield stress.     

Uniaxial and non-proportionally multiaxial ratcheting of SS304 stainless steel at room temperature: experiments and simulations

The uniaxial and non-proportionally multiaxial ratcheting behaviors of SS304 stainless steel at room temperature were initially researched by experiment and then were theoretically described by a cyclic constitutive model in the framework of unified visco-plasticity. The effects of cyclic stress amplitude, mean stress, and their histories on the ratcheting were experimentally investigated under uniaxial and different multiaxial loading paths. The shapes of non-proportional loading paths were linear, circular, elliptical and rhombic, respectively. In the constitutive model, the rate-dependent behavior of the material was reflected by a viscous term; the cyclic flow and cyclic hardening behaviors of the material under asymmetrical stress-controlled cycling were reflected by the evolution rules of kinematic hardening back stress and isotropic deforming resistance, respectively. The effect of loading history on the ratcheting was also considered by introducing two fading memorization functions for maximum inelastic strain amplitude and isotropic deformation resistance, respectively, into the constitutive model. The effect of multiaxial loading path on the ratcheting was reflected by a non-proportional factor defined in this work. The predicting ability of the developed model was proved to be good by comparing the simulations with corresponding experiments.     

Visco-plastic constitutive modeling on Ohno-Wang kinematic hardening rule for uniaxial ratcheting behavior of Z2CND18.12N steel

Experimental results of monotonic uniaxial tensile tests at different strain rates and the reversed strain cycling test showed the characteristics of rate-dependence and cyclic hardening of Z2CND18.12N austenitic stainless steel at room temperature, respectively. Based on the Ohno-Wang kinematic hardening rule, a visco-plastic constitutive model incorporated with isotropic hardening was developed to describe the uniaxial ratcheting behavior of Z2CND18.12N steel under various stress-controlled loading conditions. Predicted results of the developed model agreed better with experimental results when the ratcheting strain level became higher, but the developed model overestimated the ratcheting deformation in other cases. A modified model was proposed to improve the prediction accuracy. In the modified model, the parameter m_i of the Ohno-Wang kinematic hardening rule was developed to evolve with the accumulated plastic strain. Simulation results of the modified model proved much better agreement with experiments.     

Anatomy of coupled constitutive models for ratcheting simulation

This paper critically evaluates the performance of five constitutive models in predicting ratcheting responses of carbon steel for a broad set of uniaxial and biaxial loading histories. The models proposed by Prager, Armstrong and Frederick, Chaboche, Ohno-Wang and Guionnet are examined. Reasons for success and failure in simulating ratcheting by these models are elaborated. The bilinear Prager and the nonlinear Armstrong-Frederick models are found to be inadequate in simulating ratcheting responses. The Chaboche and Ohno-Wang models perform quite well in predicting uniaxial ratcheting responses; however, they consistently overpredict the biaxial ratcheting responses. The Guionnet model simulates one set of biaxial ratcheting responses very well, but fails to simulate uniaxial and other biaxial ratcheting responses. Similar to many earlier studies, this study also indicates a strong influence of the kinematic hardening rule or backstress direction on multiaxial ratcheting simulation. Incorporation of parameters dependent on multiaxial ratcheting responses, while dormant for uniaxial responses, into Chaboche-type kinematic hardening rules may be conducive to improve their multiaxial ratcheting simulations. The uncoupling of the kinematic hardening rule from the plastic modulus calculation is another potentially viable alternative. The best option to achieve a robust model for ratcheting simulations seems to be the incorporation of yield surface shape change (formative hardening) in the cyclic plasticity model.     

A new unified constitutive model with short- and long-range back stress for lead-free solders of Sn–3Ag–0.5Cu and Sn–0.7Cu

A series of tensile tests of Sn–3Ag–0.5Cu and Sn–0.7Cu lead-free solders were investigated at various strain rates from 1 × 10⁻⁴ s⁻¹ to 1 × 10⁻² s⁻¹ and over a wide temperature range from 25 ^oC to 150 ^oC. Two-step strain rate jump tests, three-step short term creep tests with stress jump, and uniaxial ratcheting tests were also conducted. Based on the test data, a new constitutive model was proposed with a simple formulation and only eight material constants which can be easily obtained. The model employs two carefully defined back stress components to simulate the loading/unloading asymmetry phenomenon in uniaxial ratcheting tests. Different evolution rules of short-range back stress were given for loading and unloading stage, which provides the model ability to simulate the asymmetry in hysteresis loops. The proposed model presents good simulation of uniaxial tensile tests, strain rate jump tests, short term creep tests with stress jump, and uniaxial ratcheting tests.     

循环软化45碳钢和循环硬化304不锈钢的棘轮行为实验研究

对循环软化45碳钢的单轴应力循环下的平均应力、应力幅值以及先前应变循环对棘轮效应的影响进行了实验研究;并对循环硬化的304不锈钢进行了多种非比例循环加载路径下路径形状、路径等效应力幅值、平均应变与平均应力对材料棘轮变形行为的影响实验．发现平均应力和应力幅值及其历史对于材料的棘轮行为都有很大的影响．     

Cyclic plastic deformation and cyclic hardening/softening behavior in 304LN stainless steel

Low cycle fatigue experiments have been conducted on 304LN stainless steel in ambient air at room temperature. Uniaxial ratcheting behavior has also been studied on this material and in both engineering and true stress controlling modes. It is shown that material’s cyclic hardening/softening behavior in low cycle fatigue and in ratcheting is dependent not only on material but also on the loading condition. Improvement of ratcheting life and mean stress dependent hardening are observed in the presence of mean stress. A method based on the strain energy density (SED) is used to represent cyclic hardening/softening behavior of the material in this work. The decrease of SED with cycles is an indication that the life in low cycle fatigue and in ratcheting is improved. The SED represents the area of the hysteresis loops.     

An experimental study on the ratcheting behavior of pure aluminium under uniaxial cyclic stressing

An experimental study was carried out for the cyclic properties of pure aluminium subjected to uniaxial cyclic straining and stressing. For a material of pure aluminium the effects of the cyclic strain amplitude history and mean strain on the cyclic deformation behavior were investigated, and the influences of stress amplitude, mean stress and their histories on cyclic creep (i. e., ratcheting) were analyzed. It is shown that either uniaxial cyclic property under cyclic straining or ratcheting behavior under asymmetric uniaxial loading depends not only on the current loading, but also on the previous loading history. Some significant results were obtained.Financial support from NFSC is acknowledged.     

Kinematic hardening rules in uncoupled modeling for multiaxial ratcheting simulation

An earlier paper by the authors evaluated the performance of several coupled models in simulating a series of uniaxial and biaxial ratcheting responses. This paper evaluates the performance of various kinematic hardening rules in an uncoupled model for the same set of ratcheting responses. A modified version of the Dafalias–Popov uncoupled model has been demonstrated to perform well for uniaxial ratcheting simulation. However, its performance in multiaxial ratcheting simulation is significantly influenced by the kinematic hardening rules employed in the model. Performances of eight different kinematic hardening rules, when engaged with the modified Dafalias–Popov model, are evaluated against a series of rate-independent multiaxial ratcheting responses of cyclically stabilized carbon steels. The kinematic hardening rules proposed by Armstrong–Frederick, Voyiadjis–Sivakumar, Phillips, Tseng–Lee, Kaneko, Xia–Ellyin, Chaboche and Ohno–Wang are examined. The Armstrong–Frederick rule performs reasonably for one type of the biaxial ratcheting response, but fails in others. The Voyiadjis–Sivakumar rule and its constituents, the Phillips and the Tseng–Lee rules, can not simulate the biaxial ratcheting responses. The Kaneko rule, composed of the Ziegler and the prestress directions, and the Xia–Ellyin rule, composed of the Ziegler and Mroz directions, also fail to simulate the biaxial ratcheting responses. The Chaboche rule, with three decomposed Armstrong–Frederick rules, performs the best for the whole set of ratcheting responses. The Ohno–Wang rule performs well for the data set, except for one biaxial response where it predicts shakedown with subsequent reversal of ratcheting.     

Geometrically necessary dislocation structure organization in FCC bicrystal subjected to cyclic plasticity

Crystal plasticity finite element analysis of cyclic deformation of compatible type FCC bicrystals are performed. The model specimen used in the analysis is a virtual FCC bicrystal with an isotropic elastic property; therefore, the effect of constraint due to elastic incompatibility does not appear. The results of the analysis show the strain-amplitude-dependence of both the organization of the GND structure and the stress–strain behavior. The calculated stress–strain curve with the largest strain amplitude shows additional cyclic hardening. The microscopic mechanisms of the strain-amplitude-dependent organization of the GND structure and additional cyclic hardening behavior are discussed in terms of the activation of secondary slip system(s). Finally, the effects of the elastic anisotropy, the lattice friction stress and the interaction between dislocations are also argued.     

On the calibration of the Chaboche hardening model and a modified hardening rule for uniaxial ratcheting prediction

A systematic mathematical approach is developed in the context of uniaxial cyclic ratcheting for the parameter determination of the decomposed Chaboche hardening rule. This is achieved by deriving the relation between the evolution of the backstress and the plastic strain accumulation. Unlike current calibration techniques where a trial–error approach is employed to fit the simulation results to experimental data, the proposed method determines the parameters directly from uniaxial ratcheting experiments. Numerical results indicate that Chaboche’s hardening model is much more efficient than what has been demonstrated before. Finally, as an improvement to the decomposed model, a modification is made to one of the backstress components. This improved component enables the model to predict uniaxial ratcheting with more accuracy.