Enhanced Cyclically Stable Plasticity Model for Multiaxial Behaviour of Magnesium Alloy AZ31 under Low-Cycle Fatigue Conditions.

Abstract

Magnesium alloys, particularly AZ31, are promising materials for the modern automotive industry, offering significant weight savings and environmental benefits. This research focuses on the challenges associated with accurate modelling of multiaxial cyclic plasticity at small strains of AZ31 under low-cycle fatigue conditions. Current modelling approaches, including crystal plasticity and phenomenological plasticity, have been extensively explored. However, the existing models reach their limits when it comes to capturing the complexity of cyclic plasticity in magnesium alloys, especially under multiaxial loading conditions. To address this gap, a cyclically stable elastoplastic model is proposed that integrates elements from existing models with an enhanced algorithm for updating stresses and hardening parameters, using the hyperbolic tangent function to describe hardening and ensure a stabilised response with closed hysteresis loops for both uniaxial and multiaxial loading. The model is based on a von Mises yield surface and includes a kinematic hardening rule that promises a stable simulation of the response of AZ31 sheets under cyclic loading. Using experimental data from previous studies on AZ31 sheets, the proposed model is optimised and validated. The model shows promising capabilities in simulating the response of AZ31 sheet metal under different loading conditions. It has significant potential to improve the accuracy of fatigue simulations, especially in the context of automotive applications.