Plastic deformation modeling of AL-6XN stainless steel at low and high strain rates and temperatures using a combination of bcc and fcc mechanisms of metals

Combination of physically based constitutive models for body centered cubic (bcc) and face centered cubic (fcc) metals developed recently by the authors [Voyiadjis, G.Z., Abed, F.H., 2005. Microstructural based models for bcc and fcc metals with temperature and strain rate dependency. Mech. Mater. 37, 355–378] are used in modeling the plastic deformation of AL-6XN stainless steel over a wide range of strain rates between 0.001 and 8300 s⁻¹ at temperatures from 77 to 1000 K. The concept of thermal activation analysis as well as the dislocation interaction mechanism is used in developing the plastic flow model for both the isothermal and adiabatic plastic deformation. In addition, the experimental observations of AL-6XN conducted by Nemat-Nasser et al. [Nemat-Nasser, S., Guo, W., Kihl, D., 2001. Thermomechanical response of AL-6XN stainless steel over a wide range of strain rates and temperatures, J. Mech. Phys. Solids 49, 1823–1846] are utilized in understanding the underlying deformation mechanisms. The plastic flow is considered in the range of temperatures and strain rates where diffusion and creep are not dominant, i.e., the plastic deformation is attributed to the motion of dislocations only. The modeling of the true stress–true strain curves for AL-6XN stainless steel is achieved using the classical secant modulus for the case of unidirectional deformation. The model parameters are obtained using the experimental results of three strain rates (0.001, 0.1, and 3500 s⁻¹). Good agreement is obtained between the experimental results and the model predictions. Moreover, the independency of the present model to the experiments used in the modeling is verified by comparing the theoretical results to an independent set of experimental data at the strain rate of 8300 s⁻¹ and various initial temperatures. Good correlation is observed between the model predictions and the experimental observations.     

Thermomechanical behavior of casting sands: Experiments and elastoplastic modeling

The thermomechanical behavior of casting sands is discussed from an experimental and a theoretical point of view. Uniaxial compression tests at temperatures ranging from 20°C to 950°C and at different values of strain rate (ϵ = 10⁻² s⁻¹, ϵ = 10⁻³ s⁻¹ and ϵ = 10⁻⁴ s⁻¹) have been performed. They show that casting sands exhibit no strain rate effect in the temperature range 20–600°C, and that an elastoplastic model is well suited to describe the experimental results. Three thermoelastoplastic models, derived from Cam Clay and Hujeux models have been developed. These new models take into account the cohesion of the material. The physical parameters needed for these models have been obtained in the temperature range 20–300°C by using triaxial tests, uniaxial compression tests, isotropic compression tests and die pressing tests. An original triaxial apparatus has been built allowing a temperature of 800°C and a pressure of 4 MPa to be reached. In the temperature at which the parameters have been obtained (20–300°C), two additional triaxial compression tests at different confining pressures are used to check the validity of the thermoelastoplastic models used. The best quantitative results are obtained with the revised modified Cam Clay model.     

Thermo-mechanical response of nylon 101 under uniaxial and multi-axial loadings: Part I,Experimental results over wide ranges of temperatures and strain rates

A comprehensive study of the thermo-mechanical response of a thermoplastic polymer, nylon 101 is presented. Quasi-static and dynamic compression uniaxial and multi-axial experiments (stress states) were performed at a wide range of strain rates (10⁻⁵ to 5000 s⁻¹) and temperatures (−60 to 177 °C or −76 to 350 °F). The material is found to be non-linearly dependent on strain rate and temperature. The change in volume after plastic deformation is investigated and is found to be negligibly small. The relaxation and creep responses at room temperature are found to be dependent on strain rate and the stress–strain level at which these phenomena are initiated. Total deformation is decomposed into visco-elastic and visco-plastic components; these components have been determined at different levels of deformation. Results from non-proportional uniaxial to biaxial compression, and torsion experiments, are also reported for three different strain rates at room temperature. It is shown that nylon 101 has a response dependent on the hydrostatic pressure.     

Achieving high strength and high ductility in nanostructured metals: Experiment and modelling

Engineering nanostructures in metallic materials such as nanograins and nanotwins can promote plastic performance significantly. Nano/ultrafine-grained metals embedded in coarse grains called bimodal metals and nanotwinned polycrystalline metals have been proved to possess extensively improved yield strength whilst keeping good ductility. This paper will present an experimental study on nanostructured stainless steel prepared by surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) with surface impacts of lower strain rate (10 s^?1–10³ s^?1) and higher strain rate (10⁴ s^?1–10⁵ s^?1). Microstructure transition has been observed from the original γ-austenite coarse grains to α′-martensite nanograins with bimodal grain size distribution for lower strain rates to nanotwins in the ultrafine/coarse grained austenite phase for higher strain rates. Meanwhile, we will further address the mechanism-based plastic models to describe the yield strength, strain hardening and ductility in nanostructured metals with bimodal grain size distribution and nanotwinned polycrystalline metals. The proposed theoretical models can comprehensively describe the plastic deformation in these two kinds of nanostructured metals and excellent agreement is achieved between the numerical and experimental results. These models can be utilized to optimize the strength and ductility in nanostructured metals by controlling the size and distribution of nanostructures.     

An experimental and numerical study of the localization behavior of tantalum and stainless steel

In general, the shear localization process involves initiation and growth. Initiation is expected to be a stochastic process in material space where anisotropy in the elastic–plastic behavior of single crystals and inter-crystalline interactions serve to form natural perturbations to the material’s local stability. A hat-shaped sample geometry was used to study shear localization growth. It is an axi-symmetric sample with an upper “hat” portion and a lower “brim” portion with the shear zone located between the hat and brim. The shear zone length is 870–890 μm with deformation imposed through a split-Hopkinson pressure bar system at maximum top-to-bottom velocity in the range of 8–25 m/s. We present experimental results of the deformation response of tantalum and 316L stainless steel samples. The tantalum samples did not form shear bands but the stainless steel sample formed a late stage shear band. We have also modeled these experiments using both conductive and adiabatic continuum models. An anisotropic elasto-viscoplastic constitutive model with damage evolution was used within the finite element code EPIC. A Mie-Gruneisen equation of state and the rate and temperature sensitive MTS flow stress model together with a Gurson flow surface were employed. The models performed well in predicting the experimental data. The numerical results for tantalum suggested a maximum equivalent strain rate on the order of 7 × 10⁴ s⁻¹ in the gage section for an imposed top surface displacement rate of 17.5 m/s. The models also suggested that for an initial temperature of 298 K a temperature in the neighborhood of 900 K was reached within the shear section. The numerical results for stainless steel suggest that melting temperature was reached throughout the shear band shortly after peak load. Due to sample geometry, the stress state in the shear zone was not pure shear; a significant normal stress relative to the shear zone basis line was developed.     

Computational modeling of inelastic large ratcheting strains

A framework for phenomenological hyperelasto-plasticity with initial anisotropy, kinematic hardening as well as anisotropic damage is presented in [Menzel et al., Int. J. Plasticity (2004), in press]. In this contribution, we exploit and extend this framework to include several back-stresses in order to capture the ratcheting response of polycrystalline metals subjected to cyclic stress with non-zero mid-value. The evolution equations for kinematic hardening resemble a linear combination of the multiple-Armstrong–Frederick and the Burlet–Cailletaud models, which are extended to the large strain setting. The capability of the model to capture various phenomenological characteristics, in particular multi-axial ratcheting, is illustrated by numerical examples. Comparisons with uni-axial and bi-axial experimental ratcheting results for carbon steel are given. Finally, the finite element analysis of a simplified railway turnout component subjected to cyclic loading is presented.     

Behaviors of three BCC metals during non-proportional multi-axial loadings: experiments and modeling

Non-proportional torsion–tension and biaxial-compressive experimental results are presented on tantalum, tantalum alloy with 2.5% tungsten, and AerMet 100 steel. These test results form a comprehensive set of data to show the material behaviors at finite strain and wide strain-rate range. Using the parameter set determined from uniaxial constant strain-rate compressive and tensile tests, the capability of a new constitutive model (Khan, A.S., Liang, R., 1999. Behaviors of three BCC metal over a wide range of strain rates and temperatures: experiments and modeling. International Journal of Plasticity 15, 1089–1109) is shown to accurately predict complex loading paths of current experimental results. Using von Mises equivalent strain, stress, and strain rate, the constitutive model gives excellent predictions of these non-proportional experimental results.     

Articular cartilage with intra- and extrafibrillar waters – mass transfer and generalized diffusion

The present analysis complements the chemo-mechanical model of articular cartilage developed in Loret and Simões [Loret, B., Simões, F.M.F., 2004. Articular cartilage with intra- and extrafibrillar waters. A chemo-mechanical model. Mech. Mater. 36 (5–6), 511–541; Loret, B., Simões, F.M.F., 2005a. Mechanical effects of ionic replacements in articular cartilage. Part I – The constitutive model. Biomech. Model. Mechanobiol. 4 (2–3), 63–80. Part II – Simulations of successive substitutions of NaCl and CaCl₂, 81–99], where only equilibria were considered, and therefore time was absent. The focus here is, first, to present how transport phenomena are aggregated to the porous media framework, and, second, to detail the constitutive equations of these transports. Indeed, these equations are developed in the context of a three-phase multi-species electro-chemo-mechanical model that accounts for the effects of two water compartments, namely intrafibrillar water stored between collagen fibrils and extrafibrillar water covering the negatively charged proteoglycans. The electrolyte circulating the two fluid phases contains ions sodium Na⁺, calcium Ca²⁺ and chloride Cl⁻.Species diffuse within their phase. They transfer from one fluid phase to the other. The various sources of dissipation are built in a thermodynamic framework, segregated and decoupled via the Clausius–Duhem inequality.Linear and non-linear equations of mass transfer are proposed along an onsagerist approach.The generalized diffusion in the extrafibrillar compartment accounts for Darcy's law of seepage through the porous solid skeleton, Fick's law of ionic diffusion, and Ohm's law of electric flow. An original derivation of the constitutive equations of generalized diffusion is proposed. Indeed, the dissipation inequality is written in two forms, which are required to be equivalent. This approach has the advantage of delivering the general structure of the diffusion matrix. It also displays in explicit form the degrees of freedom for possible refinements. Simple assumptions, phrased in terms of entities that are standard in transport of porous media, allow to recover arrowhead diffusion matrices. Comparison with an earlier proposal is detailed.An osmotic coefficient is found to be hidden in the equations, and anomalous negative osmosis is observed to take place for both sodium chloride and calcium chloride electrolytes.Finally, an experimental setup to measure transport properties is analyzed. The model describes correctly the increase and leveling of the experimental diffusion coefficient, and no additional ad hoc constitutive assumptions are needed in contrast to some suggestions in the literature.The results are presented for sodium chloride NaCl and calcium chloride CaCl₂.     

Characterization of Anisotropic Polymeric Foam Under Static and Dynamic Loading

An orthotropic polymeric foam with transverse isotropy (Divinycell H250) used in composite sandwich structures was characterized at various strain rates. Uniaxial experiments were conducted along principal material axes as well as along off-axis directions under tension, compression, and shear to determine engineering constants, such as Young??s and shear moduli. Uniaxial strain experiments were conducted to determine mathematical stiffness constants, i. e., C _ij . An optimum specimen aspect ratio for these tests was selected by means of finite element analysis. Quasi-static and intermediate strain rate tests were conducted in a servo-hydraulic testing machine. High strain rate tests were conducted using a split Hopkinson Pressure Bar system built for the purpose using polymeric (polycarbonate) bars. The polycarbonate material has an impedance that is closer to that of foam than metals and results in lower noise to signal ratios and longer loading pulses. It was determined by analysis and verified experimentally that the loading pulses applied, propagated along the polycarbonate rods at nearly constant phase velocity with very low attenuation and dispersion. Material properties of the foam were obtained at three strain rates, quasi-static (10^?4 s^?1), intermediate (1 s^?1), and high (10³ s^?1) strain rates. A simple model proposed for the Young??s modulus of the foam was in very good agreement with the present and published experimental results.     

A dislocation-mechanics-based constitutive model for dynamic strain aging

Dynamic strain aging (DSA) is an important phenomenon in solute hardened metals and seriously affects the mechanical properties of metals. DSA is generally induced by the interaction between the moving dislocations and the mobile solute atoms. In this paper, only the interaction between moving dislocations and mobile solute atoms in a dislocation core area (core atmosphere) will be taken into account. To establish the constitutive model which can describe the DSA phenomenon, we improved the Zerilli-Armstrong dislocation-mechanics-based thermal viscoplastic constitutive relation, and added the effect of the interaction between the moving dislocations and core atmosphere. Because the constitutive relation established is based on the Zerilli-Armstrong relation, it can describe not only the DSA phenomenon, but also the mechanical behavior of metals over a broad range of temperatures (77K∼1000K) and strain rate (10⁻⁴∼10⁴ s⁻¹). The model prediction for tantalum fits well with the experimental data. Projected supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the High Technical Project.     

A critical state sand model with elastic–plastic coupling

Soil elastic moduli are highly pressure-dependent. Experimental findings have indicated that the elastic shear modulus of sands depends on p^χ, where p is mean principal effective stress and χ is a non-dimensional parameter. χ practically remains unchanged for shear strains less than 10⁻⁵ where the mechanical behavior is purely elastic. However, experiments have revealed that the emergence of plasticity for shear strains larger than 10⁻⁵ provokes a gradual increase in χ. Technically, this observation is an elastic–plastic coupling effect in which plasticity causes to change the elastic characteristics. Here, this issue is considered in hyper-elasticity framework in conjunction with a critical state compatible bounding surface plasticity platform for granular soils. To this aim, constitutive equations linking χ to a proper kinematic hardening parameter are presented. Then, using the proposed approach, a hyper-elastic theory is modified to consider the mentioned elastic–plastic coupling effect in the whole domain of the elastoplastic behavior. Adopting the improved hyper-elasticity necessitates the modification of a number of basic plasticity platform elements. In this regard, dilatancy and plastic hardening modulus of the bounding surface platform are modified. Successful performance of the modified constitutive model is presented against experimental data of loading/unloading triaxial tests.     

Mechanics of the rate-dependent elastic–plastic deformation of glassy polymers from low to high strain rates

A combined experimental and analytical investigation has been performed to understand the mechanical behavior of two amorphous polymers—polycarbonate and poly(methyl methacrylate)—at strain rates ranging from 10⁻⁴ to 10⁴ s⁻¹. This range in strain rates was achieved in uniaxial tension and compression tests using a dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA), a servo-hydraulic testing machine, and an aluminum split-Hopkinson pressure bar. DMA tension tests were used to characterize the viscoelastic behavior of these materials, with focus on the rate-dependent shift of material transition temperatures. Uniaxial compression tests on the servo-hydraulic machine (10⁻⁴ to 1 s⁻¹) and the split-Hopkinson pressure bar (10³ to 10⁴ s⁻¹) were used to characterize the rate-dependent yield and post-yield behavior. Both materials were observed to exhibit increased rate sensitivity of yield under the same strain rate/temperature conditions as the β-transition of the viscoelastic behavior. A physically based constitutive model for large strain deformation of thermoplastics was then extended to encompass high-rate conditions. The model accounts for the contributions of different molecular motions which become operational and important in different frequency regimes. The new features enable the model to not only capture the transition in the yield behavior, but also accurately predict the post-yield, large strain behavior over a wide range of temperatures and strain rates.     

Influence of temperature and strain rate on the mechanical behavior of three amorphous polymers: Characterization and modeling of the compressive yield stress

Uniaxial compression stress–strain tests were carried out on three commercial amorphous polymers: polycarbonate (PC), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and polyamideimide (PAI). The experiments were conducted under a wide range of temperatures (−40 °C to 180 °C) and strain rates (0.0001 s⁻¹ up to 5000 s⁻¹). A modified split-Hopkinson pressure bar was used for high strain rate tests. Temperature and strain rate greatly influence the mechanical response of the three polymers. In particular, the yield stress is found to increase with decreasing temperature and with increasing strain rate. The experimental data for the compressive yield stress were modeled for a wide range of strain rates and temperatures according to a new formulation of the cooperative model based on a strain rate/temperature superposition principle. The modeling results of the cooperative model provide evidence on the secondary transition by linking the yield behavior to the energy associated to the β mechanical loss peak. The effect of hydrostatic pressure is also addressed from a modeling perspective.     

The mechanisms governing the activation of dislocation sources in aluminum at different strain rates

This article examines the time to activate Frank–Read sources in response to macroscopic strain rates ranging from 10¹ s⁻¹ to 10¹⁰ s⁻¹ in aluminium under athermal conditions. We develop analytical models of the bowing of a pinned dislocation segment as well as numerical simulations of three dimensional dislocation dynamics. We find that the strain rate has a direct influence on both the activation time and the source strength of Frank–Read sources at strain rates up to 10⁶ s⁻¹, and the source strength increases in almost direct proportion to the strain rate. This contributes to the increase in the yield stress of materials at these strain rates. Above 10⁶ s⁻¹, the speed of the bowing segments reaches values that exceed the domain of validity of the linear viscous drag law, and the drag law is modified to account for inertial effects on the motion of the dislocation. As a result the activation times of Frank–Read sources reach a finite limit at strain rates greater than 10⁸ s⁻¹, suggesting that Frank–Read sources are unable to operate before homogeneous nucleation relaxes elastic stresses at the higher strain rates of shock loading. Elastodynamic calculations are carried out to compare the contributions of Frank–Read sources and homogeneous nucleation of dislocations to plastic relaxation. We find that at strain rates of 5×10⁷ s⁻¹ homogeneous nucleation becomes the dominant generation mechanism.     

Simulation of fine polydisperse particle condensational growth under an octadecane–nitrogen atmosphere

The evolution of particle size distribution (PSD) of fine polydisperse particles at high number concentrations (>10⁵ cm⁻³) was simulated through a combined model employing direct quadrature method of moments (DQMOM) with heat and mass transfer equations. The PSD was assumed to retain log-normal distribution during the heterogeneous condensation process. The model was first verified by exact solution and experimental data prior to investigating the influence of initial conditions on final PSD under an octadecane–nitrogen atmosphere. Low particle number concentrations and high vapor concentrations were beneficial to shift the PSD to larger particles having a narrower distribution. Additionally, vapor depletion has more influence on the final PSD than the heat release parameter for a number concentration of 10⁶ cm⁻³. This study may assist the design process of a gas–solid separating cyclone, to eliminate dust from high-temperature volatiles by pyrolysis of solid fuels.     

Phenomenological nonlinear modelling of glassy polymers

Compared with the numerous works into the constitutive equations for the mechanical behaviour of metals, very little attention has been devoted to those of polymers. However, a model is required to describe both the complex shape of the stress–strain curves and strain rate sensitivity of glassy polymers. In this Note, a unified viscoelastic-viscoplastic model is presented in which the nonlinear pre-yield behaviour, the strain softening and the strain hardening are described by internal variables, in analogy with the models developed for metals. In order to check the predictive capability of the model, the numerical results are compared with the experimental data (monotone, creep and relaxation tests) of a typical amorphous glassy polymer. To cite this article: F. Zaïri et al., C. R. Mecanique 333 (2005).     

Superiority of PANS compared to LES in predicting a rudimentary landing gear flow with affordable meshes

Results of simulations of the flow around a rudimentary landing gear are presented in the paper. A newly proposed improved Partially-Averaged Navier–Stokes (PANS) method using k − ε − ζ − f turbulence model is used for prediction of the flow. The results are compared with the experimental data but also with the results of two LES simulations performed using the PANS computational grids. PANS simulations predicted the flow in good agreement with the experimental data. LES predicted a non-physical creation of separation over the front wheels that does not exist in the PANS prediction and was not observed in the experimental oil film. PANS simulations showed low sensitivity to the grid refinement. They show clear advantage compared with the LES simulations when the computational grid is inadequate for resolution of the near-wall flow structures.     

Mechanics of Taylor impact testing of polycarbonate

The deformation of polymers under high-rate loading conditions is a governing factor in their use in impact-resistant applications, such as protective shields, safety glass windows and transparent armor. In this paper, Taylor impact experiments were conducted to examine the mechanical behavior of polycarbonate (PC), under conditions of high strain rate (∼10⁵ s⁻¹) and inhomogeneous deformation. High-speed photography was used to monitor the progression of deformation within the sample. A recently developed three-dimensional large strain rate-dependent elastic–viscoplastic constitutive model which describes the high-rate behavior of glassy polymers was used together with the ABAQUS/Explicit finite-element code to simulate several Taylor impact conditions. The simulation results are compared directly with experimental images for a range in initial rod dimensions and velocities. Final deformed shapes are found to correspond with those obtained experimentally, demonstrating the ability to predict complex inhomogeneous deformation events during very high-rate impact loading scenarios. The dependence of the observed behaviors on the various features of the polymer stress–strain behavior are presented in detail revealing the roles of strain softening and strain hardening in governing the manner in which deformation progresses in a polymer during dynamic inhomogeneous loading events.     

Prediction of symmetry during intermittent and annular horizontal two-phase flows

An optical method is developed for a 2.95 mm inner diameter circular mini-channel to estimate liquid film thicknesses. The greyscale pictures obtained with a high-speed camera are processed to determine the liquid-vapour interface positions for annular and intermittent flows. The experiments are thus performed for a large range of flow conditions. The saturation temperatures tested ranged from 20°C to 100°C in steps of 10°C and the mass velocities are 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 kg m⁻² s⁻¹. A new parameter ranging from 0 to 1, the symmetry, is defined to account for the level of non uniformity of liquid distribution around the tube perimeter. New experimental data are presented (270 data points), that cover a range of symmetry parameter from 0.35 to 1.00. These data are merged with those available in the literature (406 data points with symmetry parameter from 0.71 to 1.00). A sensitivity analysis of the dimensionless numbers of major influence is run and a new correlation is proposed, that enables to predict over 90% of the data points in an error bandwidth of 10%. This correlation is proposed as criterion for asymmetry.