Failure prediction in anisotropic sheet metals under forming operations with consideration of rotating principal stretch directions

An approximate macroscopic yield criterion for anisotropic porous sheet metals is adopted to develop a failure prediction methodology that can be used to investigate the failure of sheet metals under forming operations. Hill's quadratic anisotropic yield criterion is used to describe the matrix normal anisotropy and planar isotropy. The approximate macroscopic anisotropic yield criterion is a function of the anisotropy parameter R, defined as the ratio of the transverse plastic strain rate to the through-thickness plastic strain rate under in-plane uniaxial loading conditions. The Marciniak–Kuczynski approach is employed here to predict failure/plastic localization by assuming a slightly higher void volume fraction inside randomly oriented imperfection bands in a material element of interest. The effects of the anisotropy parameter R, the material/geometric inhomogeneities, and the potential surface curvature on failure/plastic localization are first investigated. Then, a non-proportional deformation history including relative rotation of principal stretch directions is identified in a critical element of a mild steel sheet under a fender forming operation given as a benchmark problem in the 1993 NUMISHEET conference. Based on the failure prediction methodology, the failure of the critical sheet element is investigated under the non-proportional deformation history. The results show that the gradual rotation of principal stretch directions lowers the failure strains of the critical element under the given non-proportional deformation history.