Research on the Influence of Pulsed Current on the High Strain Rate Shear Behavior of Typical Armature and Rail Materials

This paper proposed an electromagnetic loading process with the high-speed impact. Al-4.2% Cu alloy bars were used to employ electromagnetic impact (EI) experiments. Deformation mechanism and microstructure evolution of EI samples were revealed by theoretical model and microstructure characterizations. The EI process had impact force (peak value 40 kN) and impact velocity (peak value 6.7 m/s) during a short time period (1.25 ms). Adiabatic shearing mechanism dominated the whole deformation process, causing that significant microstructure characteristic was adiabatic shear bands (ASBs). The theoretical analysis implied that the formation of ASBs was accounted for the radial velocity gradient. Most plastic deformations concentrated in ASBs, and approximately pure shear deformations resulted in adiabatic temperature rise of 0.33–0.42 Tm inside ASBs. The width of ASBs was about 135 μm, in which original equiaxial grains were elongated into laminated sub-structures. TEM observations showed multi-slip systems were simultaneously actuated due to severe shear deformations. High dislocation density and dislocation tangles distributed with the ASBs. Adiabatic temperature rise and distorted energies drove sub-grains rotate into recrystallization grains (70–280 nm) with large angle grain boundaries. The needed maximum time (45 μs) for rotational dynamic recrystallization was far less than that of plastic deformation, indicating that rotational dynamic recrystallization mechanism contributed to the formation of recrystallization grains.

This review paper discusses the formation and propagation of adiabatic shear bands in nickel-based superalloys. The formation of adiabatic shear bands (ASBs) is a unique dynamic phenomenon that typically precedes catastrophic, unpredicted failure in many metals under impact or ballistic loading. ASBs are thin regions that undergo substantial plastic shear strain and material softening due to the thermo-mechanical instability induced by the competitive work hardening and thermal softening processes. Dynamic recrystallization of the material’s microstructure in the shear region can occur and encourages shear localization and the formation of ASBs. Phase transformations are also often seen in ASBs of ferrous metals due to the elevated temperatures reached in the narrow shear region. ASBs ultimately lead to the local degradation of material properties within a narrow band wherein micro-voids can more easily nucleate and grow compared to the surrounding material. As the micro-voids grow, they will eventually coalesce leading to crack formation and eventual fracture. For elevated temperature applications, such as in the aerospace industry, nickel-based superalloys are used due to their high strength. Understanding the formation conditions of ASBs in nickel-based superalloys is also beneficial in extending the life of machining tools. The main goal of the review is to identify the formation mechanisms of ASBs, the microstructural evolutions associated with ASBs in nickel-based alloys, and their consequent effect on material properties. Under a shear strain rate of 80,000 s−1, the critical shear strain at which an ASB forms is between 2.2 and 3.2 for aged Inconel 718 and 4.5 for solution-treated Inconel 718. Shear band widths are reported to range between 2 and 65 microns for nickel-based superalloys. The shear bands widths are narrower in samples that are aged compared to samples in the annealed or solution treated condition.

The formation of adiabatic shear band (ASB) and its damage behaviour in AZ31 alloy under high strain rate compression (2000 s−1) were investigated in this study by using a split Hopkinson pressure bar. Microstructure of the ASB was characterised by electron back-scattering diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, and the adiabatic shear damage behaviour was analysed through finite element simulation by LS-DYNA. The results show that the ASB and the surrounding microstructure form a gradient microstructure distribution, and the formation of ultra-fine grains in the ASB is due to rotational dynamic recrystallisation. The combination of work hardening and grain refinement in ASB leads to a high microhardness. Micro-voids grow in the ASB and eventually form macro-cracks, leading to material failure.

This paper investigates numerically the effect of damage evolution on adiabatic shear banding (ASB) formation and its transition to fracture during high-speed blanking of 304 stainless steel sheets. A structural-thermal-damage-coupled finite element (FE) analysis is developed in LS-DYNA considering the modified Johnson-Cook thermo-viscoplastic model for both plasticity flow rule and damage law, while further, a temperature-dependent fracture criterion is implemented by introducing a critical temperature. The modeling approach is initially validated against experimental data regarding the fracture profile and ASB width. Next, FE simulations are conducted to examine the effect of strain rate and temperature dependence on damage law, while the effect of damage coupling is also evaluated, aiming to highlight the connection between thermal and damage softening and attribute them a specific role regarding ASB formation and transition to fracture. Also, the influence of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) softening is studied macroscopically, while further, a parametric analysis of the Taylor-Quinney coefficient is conducted to highlight the effect of plastic work-to-internal heat conversion efficiency on ASB formation. The results revealed that the implementation of damage coupling reacts to reduced ASB width and provides an S-shaped fracture profile, while it also decreases the peak force and results in an earlier fracture. Both findings are enhanced when accounting further for DRX softening and a higher value of the Taylor-Quinney coefficient. Finally, the simulations indicated that thermal softening precedes damage softening, showing that the temperature rise is responsible for ASB initiation, while instead, damage evolution drives ASB propagation and fracture.

Effect of prior heat treatment on the dynamic impact behavior of 4340 steel and formation of adiabatic shear bands

The transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect is examined at high strain rate of over 104 s−1 compression during adiabatic shear band (ASB) formation to determine whether the TRIP effect proceeds smoothly and whether it can restrain ASB formation. Results show two distinct stages of TRIP during dynamic straining: the smooth occurrence of TRIP before ASB formation and its suppression during ASB formation, which is attributed to grain refinement, accumulated crystal defects, and adiabatic temperature rising. Compared with copper and martensitic armor steel, TRIP steel demonstrates a higher work hardening effect attributed to the strong interaction of austenite (γ), ϵ-martensite, and α′-martensite. Such interaction effectively postpones ASB formation.

绝热剪切带是金属材料在高应变率载荷下常见的一种失效模式。利用霍普金森压杆装置,对双相钢Fe-24.86Ni-5.8Al-0.38C不同微结构的帽形样品施加冲击载荷,研究它的动态剪切变形行为及微结构机理。先通过对固熔处理得到的粗晶态样品进行大应变冷轧获得冷轧态样品,再使用透射电子显微镜和扫描电子显微镜表征两种样品冲击前后微结构的变化差异。结果表明,双相钢FeNiAlC拥有较优异的动态剪切性能,剪切强度达1.3 GPa,均匀剪切应变达1.5。变形前,材料由奥氏体相和马氏体相构成,马氏体体积分数约为20%。变形过程由位错滑移和孪生变形主导,但因应变速率较高致使马氏体相变被抑制。不同微结构样品内均形成绝热剪切带,带内发生动态再结晶,形成超细晶粒,平均晶粒尺寸约300 nm,且剪切带内不发生相变;冷轧态剪切带宽度的实验值(14.6μm)与理论计算值(12.3μm)较好吻合,而粗晶态剪切带宽度的实验值(14.6μm)与理论计算值(30μm)相差甚远,初步分析可能是因为粗晶态样品应变较大基本不满足完全绝热的理论条件。在变形过程中,粗晶态因塑性变形做功产生的绝热温升高达720 K,而冷轧态的只有190 K。通过实验结果与热塑模型分析,得出绝热温升不是形成绝热剪切带的唯一因素,而应考虑材料的微观结构和局部化变形等的共同影响。

Both metals and other materials may exhibit the formation of narrow bands of extreme strains when impacted at high strain rates and large strains. These are known as Adiabatic Shear Bands (ASBs). They are observed during material processing such as forging and machining as well as wear and in armor plates during impact by projectiles. The prevailing theory for their formation is that they form in narrow bands because of two competing mechanisms occurring sequentially: strain hardening followed by thermal softening from the retained heat due to the impact. However, recent studies suggest that the formation of ASBs may be a simultaneous occurrence of different mechanisms which starts with the emergence of dislocations depending on the imposed local strain and strain rate. This study uses different methodologies to explore the microstructure of ASBs in a hardened low alloy steel. The study includes the effect of the initial microstructure on the formation of ASBs. The Focused Ion Beam technique was used to prepare transmission electron microscopy samples from regions within the shear bands to eliminate the induced further deformation which could be produced by conventional approaches of electropolishing. The present study reveals that each of these methodologies complements each other. Also more complex series of mechanisms including dislocation cell formation, texture development, dynamic recrystallization and carbide dissolution accommodate the excessive strains that occur during the evolution of the shear bands.

On adiabatic shear localization in nanostructured face-centered cubic alloys with different stacking fault energies

In the present work, the adiabatic shear characteristics of our recently designed α + β dual-phase Ti alloy at different strain rates have been investigated by hat shaped specimen. The deformation process is divided into three stages: work hardening stage, steady stage, and unstable thermal softening stage. Along or near the shear deformation paths, the microvoids and the cracks can be captured at the strain rate of 1.8 × 104 s−1, 2.0 × 104 s−1, and 2.3 × 104 s−1, both of which contribute to the stable and unstable softening. It is found that dynamic stored energy of cold work will be significantly improved by the enhanced high strain rate. In the view of coupling analysis of inverse pole figure and grain boundary map, it seems that low angle grain boundaries present a good resistance to the formation of cracks and thermal softening. On the contrary, high angles grain boundaries are typically located in ASBs and their affecting regions, which is in line with the reported results. While the geometrical necessary dislocation (GND) density of adiabatic shear band (ASB) and its surroundings increased significantly, the width of the ASB becomes wider as the strain rate increases, which is consistent with the theory of sub-grain rotation dynamic recrystallization model. The formation of multiple ASBs in the corner position is schematically illustrated and the average elastic modulus and hardness of the ASB region are lower than the α and β phases, combined with the GND analysis, which proves that the ASB is a thermal softening zone in this experiment.

Abstract

This work studies numerically the development of adiabatic shear banding (ASB) during high strain-rate compression of AISI 1045 steel. Plane strain and cylindrical axisymmetric compressions are simulated in LS-DYNA, considering rectangular and cylindrical steel samples, respectively. Also, a parametric analysis in height-to-base ratio is conducted in order to evaluate the effect of geometry and dimensional ratio of the sample on ASB formation. Doubly structural-thermal-damage coupled finite element models are developed for the numerical simulations, implementing the thermo-viscoplastic Modified Johnson-Cook constitutive relation and damage criterion, while further damage-equivalent stress and strain fields are introduced for the damage coupling. The simulations revealed that plane strain compression promotes more ASB formation, providing lower critical strain for ASB initiation and wider and stronger ASBs compared with axisymmetric compression. Further, X-shaped ASBs initially form during plane strain compression, while as deformation increases, they transform into S-shaped ASBs in contrast to axisymmetric compression, where parabolic ASBs are developed. Also, a lower height-to-base ratio leads to greater ASB propensity, reducing critical strain in axisymmetric compression. Finally, thermal softening is found to precede damage softening and dominate the ASB genesis and its early evolution, while in contrast damage softening drives later ASB evolution and its transition to fracture.

Study of the formation of adiabatic shear bands in steels

Adiabatic shear banding reflects an unstable and dynamic plastic deformation mechanism occurring at high strain and strain rates which is strongly conjugated to fracture. Current work carries out a numerical study on the initiation and development of adiabatic shear bands (ASBs) in blanking process of AISI 4340 steel sheet. A structural-thermal coupled finite element analysis is developed in LS-DYNA software by implementing a thermo-viscoplastic flow rule for material plasticity and a damage criterion considering dynamic failure. The numerical simulations are focused on capturing ASB genesis through intense shear localization by evincing strain instability. Also, the evolution of ASB mechanism is investigated, aiming to contribute a stage-by-stage propagation and highlight its connection to dynamic failure. Further, the effect of ASB temperature and strain field on fracture is analysed, while the influence of strain/strain rate hardening and thermal softening on strain instability, peak force and the blanked surface is studied. The results revealed an S-shaped ASB due to severe shear localization and significant temperature increase, leading to dynamic recrystallization around punch-die corners and reacting to strain instability and dynamic. Finally, high magnitude thermal softening during ASB development resulted in earlier ASB generation and reduction of the peak blanking force, while further it decreased shear zone expansion and increased fractured length in the blanked surface.

Investigations on microstructure evolution of TA1 titanium alloy subjected to electromagnetic impact loading