Effects of ferrite grain size and martensite volume fraction on dynamic deformation behaviour of 0·15C–2·0Mn–0·2Si dual phase steels

Abstract

Effects of ferrite grain size and martensite volume fraction on quasistatic and dynamic deformation behaviour of 0·15C–2·0Mn–0·2Si dual phase steels were investigated in this study. Dynamic torsional tests were conducted on six steel specimens that had different ferrite grain sizes and martensite volume fractions, using a torsional Kolsky bar, and then the test data were compared in terms of microstructures, tensile properties, fracture mode, and adiabatic shear band formation. Under dynamic torsional loading, maximum shear stress and fracture shear strain increased with decreasing ferrite grain size and increasing martensite volume fraction. Observation of the deformed area beneath the fracture surface after the dynamic torsional test indicated that adiabatic shear bands of 5 to 15 μm in width were formed along the shear stress direction, and that voids or microcracks initiated at ferrites or martensite/ferrite interfaces below the shear band. The width of the shear band decreased as the ferrite grain size increased or the martensite volume fraction decreased. These phenomena were then analysed by introducing concepts of theoretical critical shear strain.