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.