Heterogeneous deformation and texture development in halite polycrystals: comparison of different modeling approaches and experimental data

Abstract

Modeling the plastic deformation and texture evolution in halite is challenging due to its high plastic anisotropy at the single crystal level and to the influence this exerts on the heterogeneity of deformation over halite polycrystals. Three different assumptions for averaging the single crystal responses over the polycrystal were used: a Taylor hypothesis, a self-consistent viscoplastic model, and a finite element methodology. The three modeling approaches employ the same single crystal relations, but construct the polycrystal response differently. The results are compared with experimental data for extension at two temperatures: 20 and 100 °C. These comparisons provide new insights of how the interplay of compatibility and local equilibrium affects the overall plastic behavior and the texture development in highly anisotropic polycrystalline materials. Neither formulation is able to completely simulate the texture development of halite polycrystals while, at the same time, giving sound predictions of microstructural evolution. Results obtained using the finite element methodology are promising, although they point to the need for greater resolution of the individual crystals to capture the full impact of deformation heterogeneities.