Localization in NiTi tubes under bending

Nearly equiatomic NiTi can exhibit pseudoelastic behavior due to reversible solid-to-solid stress induced phase transformation at room level temperatures. In tension, the transformation leads to localized deformation of several percent that tends to spread at nearly constant stress. The deformation is recovered upon unloading while again localized deformation is exhibited. Under compression, while still pseudoelastic, the transformation strains are smaller, the stress is higher, the response is monotonic, and the deformation is essentially homogeneous. This study examines how this texture-driven, complex material asymmetry affects a simple structure: the bending of a tube. To this end, NiTi tubes are bent in a custom four-point bending facility under rotation control and isothermal conditions. The phase transformations lead to a closed moment-rotation hysteresis comprised of loading and unloading moment plateaus. During loading, localized nucleation of martensite results in a high curvature for the transformed sections of the tube and low curvature for the untransformed. Martensite, which corresponds to the higher curvature regime, spreads gradually while the moment remains nearly constant. The nucleation of martensite is in the form of bands inclined to the axis of the tube that organize themselves into diamond shaped deformation patterns on the tensioned side of the structure. The patterns are similar to those observed in bending of steel tubes with Lüders bands, however, for NiTi they develop only on the tensioned side due to the material asymmetry. A lower moment plateau is traced upon unloading with similar localized bending and the erasure of the diamond deformation patterns. This complex behavior was found to repeat for a number of temperatures in the pseudoelastic regime of NiTi with the moment-rotation hysteresis moving to higher or lower moment levels depending on the temperature.