Rate (time)-dependent deformation behavior: an overview of some properties of metals and solid polymers

The inelastic deformation behaviors of metals and polymers are discussed with the aim of finding a common base that would simplify academic and engineering analyses. Only monotonic loading conditions at room temperature are considered. For loading at different rates, nonlinear relations between loading rate and stress level, creep stress level and creep strain, and relaxation rate and stress were common to both type of materials. There are, of course, significant differences in elastic properties, strength levels and the strains involved. Special properties such as relaxation behaviors and creep anomalies can be qualitatively and quantitatively reproduced by the state variable model VBO (viscoplasticity theory based on overstress). Since experimental investigations typically concentrate on one particular aspect of inelastic deformation behavior such as creep or strain-rate dependence, it is often difficult to gather a comprehensive data set for a given material. In spite of this, considerable similitude in the deformation behavior of metals and polymers in various test conditions has nevertheless been established.     

Modeling deformation behavior of polymers with viscoplasticity theory based on overstress

The nonlinear strain rate sensitivity, multiple creep and recovery behavior of polyphenylene oxide (PPO), which were explored through strain rate-controlled experiments at ambient temperature by Khan [The deformation behavior of solid polymers and modeling with the viscoplasticity theory based overstress, Ph.D. Thesis, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York], are modeled using the modified viscoplasticity theory based on overstress (VBO). In addition, VBO used by Krempl and Ho [An overstress model for solid polymer deformation behavior applied to Nylon 66, ASTM STP 1357, 2000, p. 118] and the classical VBO are used to demonstrate the improved modeling capabilities of VBO for solid polymer deformation. The unified model (VBO) has two tensor valued state variables, the equilibrium and kinematic stresses and two scalar valued states variables, drag and isotropic stresses. The simulations include monotonic loading and unloading at various strain rates, multiple creep and recovery at zero stress. Since creep behavior has been found to be profoundly influenced by the level of the stress, the tests are performed at different stresses above and below the yield point. Numerical results are compared to experimental data. It is shown that nonlinear rate sensitivity, nonlinear unloading, creep and recovery at zero stress can be reproduced using the modified viscoplasticity theory based on overstress.     

A viscoplasticity theory applied to proportional and non-proportional cyclic loading at small strains

The small strain, isotropic, Viscoplasticity theory Based on Overstress (VBO) is modified so that the experimentally observed, complex cyclic hardening behavior under proportional and non-proportional loading with fixed as well as variable strain amplitude can be reproduced. This is accomplished by formulating a growth law for the isotropic, rate independent stress, a scalar valued state variable of VBO. The non-proportionality measure employed for modeling the effects of loading path, amplitude and prior history is Tanaka's fourth order tensor [Eur. J. Mech. Solids 13 (1994) 155]. Numerical experiments show the responses in step-up and down two amplitude tests and include further hardening after an increase in the strain amplitude. The differences in the responses to proportional and non-proportional loading including circular, square, one step and two steps are demonstrated. History dependence of the hardening is depicted. The cross hardening behavior, sudden increase in the stress level which is followed by softening after the path change are modeled well.     

填充橡胶温度依赖的非弹性力学行为实验研究

填充橡胶具有复杂的非弹性力学行为,主要包括应变率依赖的粘弹性效应和变形历史依赖的Mullins效应。当前大多数对填充橡胶的实验研究集中于室温条件,针对以上问题,本文通过单轴压缩实验系统地研究了温度对氟橡胶粘弹性和Mullins效应这两种非弹性行为的影响。首先采用多次循环加载获得了完全消除了Mullins效应的预处理试样。通过对原试样和预处理试样的单轴加卸载实验应力响应进行对比,发现Mullins效应不受变形温度和应变率的影响。通过对消除Mullins效应橡胶材料应力松弛实验结果分析,发现粘弹性行为不仅与变形的温度、应变率相关,还受加载应变的影响,表现为较大的加载应变会抑制氟橡胶的应力松弛。     

A non-linear uniaxial integral constitutive equation incorporating rate effects,creep and relaxation

A previously proposed first order non-linear differential equation for uniaxial viscoplasticity, which is non-linear in stress and strain but linear in stress and strain rates, is transformed into an equivalent integral equation. The proposed equation employs total strain only and is symmetric with respect to the origin and applies for tension and compression. The limiting behavior for large strains and large times for monotonic, creep and relaxation loading is investigated and appropriate limits are obtained. When the equation is specialized to an overstress model it is qualitatively shown to reproduce key features of viscoplastic behavior. These include: initial linear elastic or linear viscoelastic response: immediate elastic slope for a large instantaneous change in strain rate normal strain rate sensitivity and non-linear spacing of the stress-strain curves obtained at various strain rates; and primary and secondary creep and relaxation such that the creep (relaxation) curves do not cross. Isochronous creep curves are also considered. Other specializations yield wavy stress-strain curves and inverse strain rate sensitivity. For cyclic loading the model must be modified to account for history dependence in the sense of plasticity.     

Experimental investigation and modeling of non-monotonic creep behavior in polymers

The deformation behavior of two unfilled engineering thermoplastics, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and polycarbonate (PC), has been investigated in creep test conditions. It has been found that a loading history (prior to the creep test) comprising of loading to a maximum stress or strain value followed by partial unloading to arrive at the target stress value can greatly modify the strain-time behavior. Under such a test protocol, while the expected increase in strain during creep (constant tensile load) is observed, at relatively low creep stresses specimens have also demonstrated a monotonic decrease in strain. In an intermediate stress range, specimens have demonstrated time dependent behavior comprising of a transition from decreasing to increasing strain during creep in tension. This paper presents experimental results to delineate these findings and explore the effect of prior strain rate on the qualitative and quantitative changes in the output (strain-time) behavior. Furthermore, modification of the viscoplasticity theory based on overstress (VBO) model into a double element configuration is introduced. These changes confer upon the model the ability to yield non-monotonic behavior in creep, and supporting simulation results have been included. These changes, therefore, allow the model to simulate strain rate sensitivity, creep, relaxation, and recovery behavior, but more importantly address the issue of non-monotonic changes in creep and relaxation when a loading history involves some degree of unloading.     

Modelling effects of degree of crystallinity on mechanical behavior of semicrystalline polymers

Viscoplasticity theory based on overstress (VBO) which is one of the unified state variable theories is extended to account for crystallinity ratio () on mechanical behavior of semicrystalline polymers. The modifications on VBO are done considering the semicrystalline polymeric materials somewhat as a composite material since it consists of amorphous and crystalline phases. Amorphous and crystalline phase resistances are arranged in two different analog models: amorphous stiffness and flow are in parallel and series with crystalline phase. Apart from many existing work in the literature, not only uniaxial loading are modeled but also creep and relaxation behaviors are simulated for a hypothetical material. It is shown that when amorphous and crystalline phase resistances acting in parallel are considered in the model, creep, relaxation and uniaxial loading and unloading behaviors can be simulated well using the modified VBO. In addition, uniaxial compression loading and unloading behavior of highly crosslinked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and creep behavior of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) with different crystallinity ratios are simulated using the proposed VBO model where amorphous and crystalline phases are parallel. Simulation results are compared to the experimental data by Kurtz et al. (2002) and Sun et al. (2005) [Kurtz, S.M., Villarragaa, M.L., Herra, M.P., Bergström, J.S., Rimnacc, C.M., Edidin, A.A., 2002. Thermomechanical behavior of virgin and highly crosslinked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene used in total joint replacements. Biomaterials 23, 3681–3697; Sun, H., Cooke, R. S., Bates, W. D., Wynne, K.J., 2005. Supercritical CO₂ processing and annealing of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and modified PTFE for enhancement of crystallinity and creep resistance. Polymer 46, 8872–8882] respectively and good match with experimental data is obtained.     

A finite deformation fractional viscoplastic model for the glass transition behavior of amorphous polymers

The stress response of amorphous polymers exhibits tremendous change during the glass transition region, from soft viscoelastic response to stiff viscoplastic response. In order to describe the temperature-dependent and rate-dependent stress response of amorphous polymers, we extend the one-dimensional small strain fractional Zener model to the three-dimensional finite deformation model. The Eyring model is adopted to represent the stress-activated viscous flow. A phenomenological evolution equation of yield strength is used to describe the strain softening behaviors. We demonstrate that the stress response predicted by the three-dimensional model is consistent with that of one-dimensional model under uniaxial deformation, which confirms the validity of the extension. The model is then applied to describe the stress response of an amorphous thermoset at various temperatures and strain rates, which shows good agreement between experiments and simulation. We further perform a parameter study to investigate the influence of the model parameters on the stress response. The results show that a smaller fractional order results in a larger yield strain while has little effect on the yield stress when the temperature is below the glass transition temperature. For the stress relaxation tests, a smaller fractional order leads to a slower relaxation rate.     

双向加载条件下尼龙6-橡胶复合材料的应力松弛研究

在双向测试系统上进行了不同纵向应变与不同横向应变的双向松弛实验,研究了在双向拉伸载荷作用下单向尼龙6-橡胶复合材料的应力松弛特性．为了预测尼龙6-橡胶复合材料的应力松弛规律,提出了一个松弛型本构模型．当试件承受双向拉伸载荷作用时,将松弛型本构模型获得的理论曲线和实验数据进行了对比,二者取得了较好的一致性．     

Creep,plasticity, and fatigue of single crystal superalloy

Single crystal components in gas turbine engines are subject to such extreme temperatures and stresses that life prediction becomes highly inaccurate resulting in components that can only be shown to meet their requirements through experience. Reliable life prediction methodologies are required both for design and life management. In order to address this issue we have developed a thermo-viscoplastic constitutive model for single crystal materials. Our incremental large strain formulation additively decomposes the inelastic strain rate into components along the octahedral and cubic slip planes. We have developed a crystallographic-based creep constitutive model able to predict sigmoidal creep behavior of Ni base superalloys. Inelastic shear rate along each slip system is expressed as a sum of a time dependent creep component and a rate independent plastic component. We develop a new robust, computationally efficient rate-independent crystal plasticity approach and combined it with creep flow rule calibrated for Ni-based superalloys. The transient variation of each of the inelastic components includes a back stress for kinematic hardening and latent hardening parameters to account for the stress evolution with inelastic strain as well as the evolution for dislocation densities. The complete formulation accurately predicts both monotonic and cyclic tests at different crystallographic orientations for constant and variable temperature conditions (low cycle fatigue (LCF) and thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF) tests). Based on the test and modeling results we formulate a new life prediction criterion suitable for both LCF and TMF conditions.     

Experimental investigation of cyclic and time-dependent deformation of titanium alloy at elevated temperature

A novel cyclic deformation test program was undertaken to characterize macroscopic time dependent deformation of a titanium alloy for use in viscoplastic model development. All tests were conducted at a high homologous temperature, 650 °C, where there are large time dependent and loading rate dependent effects. Uninterrupted constant amplitude tests having zero mean stress or a tensile mean stress were conducted using three different control modes: strain amplitude and strain rate, stress amplitude and stress rate, and a hybrid stress amplitude and strain rate. Strain ratcheting occurred for all cyclic tests having a tensile mean stress and no plastic shakedown was observed. The shape of the strain ratcheting curve as a function of time is analogous to a creep curve having primary, steady state and tertiary regions, but the magnitude of the ratchet strains are higher than creep strains would be for a constant stress equal to the mean stress. Strain cycles interrupted with up to eight 2-h stress relaxation periods around the hysteresis loop, including hold times in each quadrant of the stress–strain diagram, were also conducted. Stress relaxation was path-dependent and in some cases the stress relaxed to zero. The cyclic behavior of these interrupted tests was similar even though each cycle was very complex. These results support constitutive model development by providing exploratory, characterization and validation data.     

An experimental study of uniaxial creep,cyclic creep and relaxation of aisi type 304 stainless steel at room temperature

Following previous work (Krempl, 1979), a servocontrolled testing machine and strain measurement at the gage length were used to study the uniaxial rate(time)-dependent behavior of AISI Type 304 stainless steel at room temperature. The test results show that the creep strain accumulated in a given period of time depends strongly on the stress-rate preceding the creep test. In constant stress-rate zero-to-tension loading the creep strain accumulated in a fixed time-period at a given stress level is always higher during loading than during unloading. Continued cycling causes an exhaustion of creep ratchetting which depends on the stress-rate. Periods of creep and relaxation introduced during completely reversed plastic cycling show that the curved portions of the hysteresis loop exhibit most of the inelasticity. In the straight portions, creep and relaxation are small and there exists a region commencing after unloading where the behavior is similar to that at the origin for virgin materials. This region does not extend to zero stress.The results are at variance with creep theory and with viscoplasticity theories which assume that the yield surface expands with the stress. They support the theory of viscoplasticity based on total strain and overstress.     

Thermovisco-hyperelastic behavior of elastomeric materials modified by filler nanoparticles

We present the results of experimental studies of hyperelastic and relaxation properties of polymer composites with elastomeric matrix made of hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber filled with nanoparticles of technical carbon in the temperature range 19–150° C. We present typical experimental diagrams of deformation of the material with constant strain rate and the stress relaxation curves at different strain levels under tension and compression conditions. We consider a possible version of constitutive relations for describing some singularities of the behavior of the material under study. We developed a method for determining all the parameters of the accepted relations on the basis of the results of uniaxial tests. We found a nonmonotone dependence of the relaxation modulus on the temperature and proposed a formula for describing this dependence in the temperature range under study. To justify the possible use of the considered constitutive relations to perform calculations under conditions of arbitrary compound stress state, we performed numerical modeling of the compression experiment for cylindrical samples. A rather satisfactory agreement between the computational results and experimental data was obtained.     

Some critical uniaxial experiments for viscoplasticity at room temperature

An austenitic AISI Type 304 stainless steel, a ferritic A533B pressure vessel steel and a Ti-7Al-2Cb-1Ta alloy were tested using a servocontrolled MTS axial-torsion testing machine. Tests involved changes in strain rate between 10^?8 and 10^?3 s^?1 and intermittent creep periods of less than 1200 s duration.The tests show that inelastic work is not a suitable repository for modeling strain (work)-hardening and the Bauschinger effect is found to be rate dependent. Upon an increase in stress level, creep rate can decrease. This anomaly can be reproduced by a theory of viscoplasticity based on overstress previously proposed by the first author and his co-workers.     

Advances in experiments on metal sheets and tubes in support of constitutive modeling and forming simulations

This work is a review of experimental methods for observing and modeling the anisotropic plastic behavior of metal sheets and tubes under a variety of loading paths, such as biaxial compression tests; biaxial tension tests on metal sheets and tubes using closed-loop electrohydraulic testing machines; the abrupt strain path change method for detecting a yield vertex and subsequent yield loci without unloading; in-plane stress reversal tests on metal sheets; and multistage tension tests. Observed material responses are compared with the predictions of phenomenological plasticity models. Special attention is paid to the plastic deformation behavior of materials commonly used in industry, and to verifying the validity of conventional anisotropic yield criteria for those materials and associated flow rules at large plastic strains. The effects of using appropriate anisotropic yield criteria on the accuracy of simulations of forming defects, such as large springback and fracture, are also presented to highlight the importance of accurate material testing and modeling.     

聚碳酸酯的高应变率拉伸实验

为了解应变率对聚碳酸酯拉伸力学行为的影响,在旋转盘式间接杆杆型冲击拉伸试验机和MTS809材料试验机上,对聚碳酸酯棒材进行了高应变率和准静态加载下的单向拉伸试验,应变率分别为380 s-1、800 s-1、1750 s-1和0.001 s-1、0.05 s-1,得到了聚碳酸酯的拉伸应力应变曲线.试验结果表明:聚碳酸酯的拉伸力学性能具有明显的应变率相关性,其屈服应力和失稳应变随应变率的增加而增大.依据试验结果,采用朱王唐粘弹性本构模型来描述聚碳酸酯的非线性粘弹性拉伸力学行为.模型结果显示,在本文实施的应变率范围内,朱王唐模型可以较好地表征聚碳酸酯的拉伸应力应变响应.     

Nonlinear dependence of viscosity in modeling the rate-dependent response of natural and high damping rubbers in compression and shear: Experimental identification and numerical verification

The rate-dependent behavior of filled natural rubber (NR) and high damping rubber (HDR) is investigated in compression and shear regimes. In order to describe the viscosity-induced rate-dependent effects, a constitutive model of finite strain viscoelasticity founded on the basis of the multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient tensor into elastic and inelastic parts is proposed. The total stress is decomposed into an equilibrium stress and a viscosity-induced overstress by following the concept of the Zener model. To identify the constitutive equation for the viscosity from direct experimental observations, an analytical scheme that ascertains the fundamental relation between the inelastic strain rate and the overstress tensor of the Mandel type by evaluating simple relaxation test results is proposed. Evaluation of the experimental results using the proposed analytical scheme confirms the necessity of considering both the current overstress and the current deformation as variables to describe the evolution of the rate-dependent phenomena. Based on this experimentally based motivation, an evolution equation using power laws is proposed to represent the effects of internal variables on viscosity phenomena. The proposed evolution equation has been incorporated in the finite strain viscoelasticity model in a thermodynamically consistent way. Simulation results for simple relaxation tests, multi-step relaxation tests and monotonic tests at different strain rates using the developed model show an encouraging correlation with the experiments conducted on HDR and NR in both compression and shear regimes. Finally, an approach to extend the proposed evolution equation for rate-dependent cyclic processes is proposed. The simulation results are critically compared with the experiments.