Computational Homogenisation of Polycrystalline Elastoplastic Microstructures at Finite Deformation

During sheet bulk metal forming processes both, flat geometries and three-dimensional structures change their shape significantly while undergoing large plastic deformations. As for forming processes, FE-simulations are often done before in situ experiments, a very accurate material model is required, performing well for a huge variety of different geometrical characteristics. Because of the crystalline nature of metals, anisotropies have to be taken into account. Macroscopically observable plastic deformation is traced back to dislocations within considered slip systems in the crystals causing plastic anisotropy on the microscopic and the macroscopic level. A finite crystal plasticity model is used to model the behaviour of polycrystalline materials in representative volume elements (RVEs) of the microstructure. A multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient into elastic and plastic parts is performed, as well as a volumetric-deviatoric split of the elastic contribution. In order to circumvent singularities stemming from the linear dependency of the slip system vectors, a viscoplastic power-law is introduced providing the evolution of the plastic slips and slip resistances. The model is validated with experimental microstructural data under deformation. Through homogenisation and optimisation techniques, effective stress-strain curves are determined and can be compared to results from real forming processes leading to a suitable effective material model. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)