Numerical prediction of the cyclic behaviour of metallic polycrystals and comparison with experimental data

Abstract

Grain size seems to have only a minor influence on the cyclic strain strain curves (CSSCs) of metallic polycrystals of medium to high stacking fault energy (SFE). Many authors therefore tried to deduce the macroscopic CSSCs curves from the single crystals ones. Either crystals oriented for single slip or multiple slip were considered. In addition, a scale transition law should be used (from the grain scale to the macroscopic scale). The Sachs rule (homogeneous stress, single slip) or the Taylor one (homogeneous plastic strain, multiple slip) were usually used. But the predicted macroscopic CSSCs do not generally agree with the experimental data for metals and alloys, presenting various SFE values. In order to avoid the choice of a particular scale transition rule, many finite element (FE) computations are carried out using meshes of polycrystals including more than one hundred grains without texture. This allows the study of the influence of the crystalline constitutive laws on the macroscopic CSSCs. Activation of a secondary slip system in grains oriented for single slip is either allowed or hindered (slip planarity), which affects strongly the macroscopic CSSCs. The more planar the slip, the higher the predicted macroscopic stress amplitudes. If grains oriented for single slip obey slip planarity and two crystalline CSSCs are used (one for single slip grains and one for multiple slip grains), then the predicted macroscopic CSSCs agree well with experimental data provided the SFE is not too low (austenitic steel 316L, copper, nickel, aluminium).