Tension-compression Asymmetry Research Articles

Experiment and simulation study on the functional fatigue of shape memory alloy beam actuators

The functional fatigue behavior of shape memory alloy (SMA) beam actuators is gaining importance as their utilization in engineering applications becomes more widespread. However, research on the functional fatigue behavior of SMA beam actuators under bending conditions is not as extensive as that on SMA wires. In this paper, an experimental study and theoretical analysis of the functional fatigue behavior of SMA beam actuators were conducted. A measuring method for bending deflection and an automatic thermal cyclic test bench was designed. A series of functional fatigue tests were conducted on SMA beam actuators under different bias load conditions and the functional fatigue patterns were obtained. The material damage factor is defined and calculated through specimen tests. By incorporating the damage factor to modify the existing constitutive model, a model considering functional fatigue and tension-compression asymmetry is obtained. Finite element analysis (FEA) is performed based on this modified model to simulate the actuating performance of SMA beam actuators and to compute the deflection at different numbers of cycles. Additionally, a small parameter study on the actuator shape is conducted using FEA. By comparing the FEA results with functional fatigue experimental data, the effectiveness of the modified model is validated, demonstrating its capability to describe functional fatigue and predict actuator lifespan.

Quantitative analysis of asphalt concrete’s tension-compression asymmetry effects on pavement response through 3D numerical modeling with dual viscoelastic model

Asphalt concrete (AC) exhibits noticeable tension-compression (TC) asymmetry, but it is typically considered isotropic in pavement design. This study aims to quantitatively evaluate the effect of AC’s TC asymmetry on pavement response under loading through numerical modeling. To achieve this objective, a temperature-dependent dual viscoelastic constitutive model was applied to incorporate AC’s TC asymmetry into pavement modeling. Besides, three pavement structure models, including one with thick AC layers, one with thin AC layers, and one with a Portland cement concrete (PCC) base, were developed. The responses of the three pavement structures under traffic and environmental loading conditions were simulated. Modeling results showed that AC’s TC asymmetry can significantly increase the vertical strain in AC, leading to higher stress concentration and larger deformation in AC layers. Unlike the conventional understanding that tensile strain concentrates at the bottom of AC layers, high tensile strains were observed in the top AC layers, especially for the pavement with thick AC layers or a PCC base, which may lead to top-down cracking. High tensile strains were observed on the granular subbase for the pavement with thin AC layers, which may induce bottom-up cracking. Besides, AC’s TC asymmetry also significantly increases the shear strains, especially the horizontal shear strain in AC layers, which may result in debonding and shoving distresses in AC layers. It was also noticed that the pavement response highly depends on its temperature and vehicular speed. A higher temperature or lower vehicular speed leads to more significant AC’s TC asymmetry as well as its effects on asphalt pavement’s response. The outcomes of this study are expected to help enhance the design and maintenance of more durable asphalt pavement.

Constitutive modelling and systematic evaluation of asphalt concrete’s viscoelastic tension-compression asymmetry effect on pavement performance

ABSTRACT Asphalt concrete (AC) exhibits significant tension-compression (TC) asymmetry, which is currently not considered in pavement design. This study develops a novel temperature-dependent dual viscoelastic model to quantitatively capture the viscoelastic behaviour of AC. Unlike the conventional viscoelastic constitutive model, the proposed model decomposes strain into tensile and compressive components to characterise AC’s TC asymmetry. Additionally, a systematic modelling framework with intrinsic TC asymmetry is developed for the first time to predict the response of pavement under moving tire load. The results illustrate that implementing the proposed dual viscoelastic model enlarges both the vertical deformation of pavements and the tensile and shear strains in the AC layers, bringing it closer to the realistic scenario compared to the conventional model that only considers compression properties. Furthermore, high temperatures and low vehicular speeds exacerbate the substantial effects of AC’s TC asymmetry on asphalt pavement. This study provides a valuable method to capture AC’s TC asymmetry and predict pavement response more accurately, giving better insight into pavement response and enhancing pavement design and maintenance.

Predicting plastic behavior of magnesium alloy tube bending with comprehensive constitutive models

This paper aims to predict defects occurring in magnesium alloy tube bending through finite element simulations. Deformation tests were conducted to identify and characterize plastic anisotropy, tension-compression asymmetry, and anisotropic hardening behaviors of extruded Mg–Al–Zn-RE alloy rectangular tubes. Limited by size, the deformation tests along the wall thickness of specimens were conducted through crystal plasticity analysis. To thoroughly investigate the material constitutive features affecting bending, two constitutive models, Yoon2014 and Hill48, were established and calibrated. The non-associative flow rule was adopted, and anisotropic hardening was depicted using the yield-surface interpolation method. In comparison, the Yoon2014 model accurately predicted the strain distribution and tube shape collapse of the bent tube with negligible deviation from the experimental data, prior to the Hill48 model. This underscores the necessity of considering comprehensive plasticity models in tube bending simulations.

Development and characterization of self-centering friction dampers with confined shape memory alloy bars

This study proposes a new self-centering, shape memory alloy bar-based device to address the tension-compression asymmetry and limited energy dissipation capacity of similar SMA bar-based devices. The proposed device, named the Confined Superelastic Friction Damper (CSFD), employs buckling-restrained SMA bars to maintain symmetry in force-displacement responses and enhance effectiveness in both tension and compression. The device also integrates a frictional damping mechanism, contributing to increased energy dissipation capacity. First, an optimal annealing condition is investigated for as-received SMA bars to achieve a satisfactory superelastic response. Then, the working and design principles of the CSFD are outlined. The experimental characterization of CSFD devices in various configurations is conducted under an increasing amplitude loading protocol. The devices are tested with different levels of frictional damping to assess the effects of the added frictional forces on device characteristics. Analysis of test results considers parameters such as hysteresis curves, maximum force, equivalent viscous damping, and self-centering efficiency to provide a comprehensive performance evaluation of each device. Findings reveal that while a single buckling-restrained SMA bar device exhibits up to 90 % higher forces in compression than in tension, a CSFD device with two such bars nearly eliminates this asymmetry. Compared to tension-only SMA devices, capable of symmetric response, the proposed CSFD device demonstrates a 2.6 times higher force-resisting capacity. For all devices, the addition of some frictional damping improves the energy dissipation and equivalent viscous damping capacity, while leading to some reduction in self-centering efficiency.

Microstructural and mechanistic insights into the Tension-Compression asymmetry of rapidly solidified Fe-Cr alloys: A phase field and strain gradient plasticity study

Rapid solidification in Additively Manufactured (AM) metallic materials results in the development of significant microscale internal stresses, which are attributed to the printing induced dislocation substructures. The resulting backstress due to the Geometrically Necessary Dislocations (GNDs) is responsible for the observed Tension-Compression (TC) asymmetry. We propose a combined Phase Field (PF)-Strain Gradient J2 Plasticity (SGP) framework to investigate the TC asymmetry in such microstructures. The proposed PF model is an extension of Kobayashi’s dendritic growth framework, modified to account for the orientation-based anisotropy and multi-grain interaction effects. The SGP model has consideration for anisotropic temperature-dependent elasticity, dislocation strengthening, solid solution strengthening, along with GND-induced directional backstress. This model is employed to predict the solute segregation, dislocation substructure and backstress development during solidification and the post-solidification anisotropic mechanical properties in terms of the TC asymmetry of rapidly solidified Fe-Cr alloys. It is observed that higher thermal gradients (and hence, cooling rates) lead to higher magnitudes of solute segregation, GND density, and backstress. This also correlates with a corresponding increase in the predicted TC asymmetry. The results presented in this study point to the microstructural factors, such as dislocation substructure and solute segregation, and mechanistic factors, such as backstress, which may contribute to the development of TC asymmetry in rapidly solidified microstructures.

Tension-compression asymmetry in superelasticity of SrNi2P2 single crystals and the influence of low temperatures

ThCr2Si2-type intermetallic compounds are known to exhibit superelasticity associated with structural transitions through lattice collapse and expansion. These transitions occur via the formation and breaking of Si-type bonds, respectively, under uniaxial loading along the [0 0 1] direction. Unlike most ThCr2Si2-type intermetallic compounds, which have either an uncollapsed tetragonal structure or a collapsed tetragonal structure, SrNi2P2 possesses a third type of collapsed structured: a one-third orthorhombic structure, for which one expects the occurrence of unique structural transitions and superelastic behavior. In this study, uniaxial compression and tension tests were conducted on micron-sized SrNi2P2 single crystalline columns at room temperature, 200K, and 100K, to investigate the influence of loading direction and temperature on the superelasticity of SrNi2P2. Experimental data and density functional theory calculations revealed the presence of tension-compression asymmetry in the structural transitions and superelasticity, as well as an asymmetry in their temperature dependence, due to the opposite superelastic process associated with compression (forming P-P bonds) and tension (breaking P-P bonds). Additionally, following thermodynamics, the observations suggest that this asymmetric superelasticity could lead to an opposite elastocaloric effect between compression and tension, which could be beneficial potentially in obtaining large temperature changes compared to conventional superelastic solids that show the same elastocaloric effect regardless of loading direction. These results provide an important fundamental insight into the structural transitions, superelasticity processes, and potential elastocaloric effects in SrNi2P2.

Effects of differential hardening on energy absorption prediction of AA6061-T6 thin-walled rectangular tube

In this study, the energy absorption characteristics and deformation modes of AA6061-T6 thin-walled rectangular tube are investigated experimentally and numerically under different crushing conditions, including axial crushing, three-point bending and oblique crushing. Mechanical tests are carried out on four specimens of uniaxial tension, uniaxial compression, shear and plane strain tension along different loading directions for AA6061-T6. Besides, the effect of differential hardening behavior on the energy absorption prediction of AA6061-T6 rectangular tubes is illustrated by comparing Lou2022, von Mises and SY2009 functions. The mechanical experiment results indicate that AA6061-T6 shows obvious anisotropy, differential hardening behavior and tension-compression asymmetry, and its plastic evolution is accurately characterized by the Lou2022 model. The axial crushing properties show that the AA6061-T6 thin-walled rectangular tube undergoes the progressive symmetrical folding deformation mode. The introduction of geometric discontinuity can obviously reduce the peak force and improve the crashworthiness performances under the axial load. The main crushing mode is bending with a small amount of indentation for three-point bending. Moreover, the three-point bending simulation shows that the Lou2022 function considering differential hardening behavior has the highest simulation accuracy. Three different oblique crushing simulations of 10∘, 20∘ and 30∘ illustrate that the AA6061-T6 rectangular tube at 10∘ mainly occurs progressive folding deformation. while the other two oblique crushing angles undergo global buckling deformation. The total energy absorption at 10∘ is 1.87 and 2.43 times of that at 20∘ and 30∘, respectively. The crushing force efficiency of 20∘ and 30∘ is 41.28% and 31.8% lower than that of 10∘, respectively. A comprehensive understanding of the energy absorption performance of AA6061-T6 thin-walled rectangular tube under different crushing conditions is helpful to determine its position and shape as a vehicle safety structure, and to exert its optimal plastic deformation potential to dissipate the collision energy and ensure passenger safety.

Study of Tensile and Compressive Behavior of ECO-Mg97Gd2Zn1 Alloys Containing Long-Period Stacking Ordered Phase with Lamellar Structure

A suitable heat treatment in the Mg97Gd2Zn1 (at.%) alloy in the as-cast condition results, after extrusion at high temperature, in a two-phase lamellar microstructure consisting of magnesium grains with thin lamellar shape precipitates and long fibers of the 14H-Long-Period Stacking Ordered (LPSO) phase elongated in the extrusion direction. The magnesium matrix is not fully recrystallized and highly oriented coarse non-dynamically recrystallized (non-DRXed) grains (17% volume fraction) elongated along the extrusion direction remain in the material. The deformation mechanisms of the extruded alloy have been studied measuring the evolution of the internal strains during in situ tension and compression tests using synchrotron diffraction radiation. The data demonstrate that the macroscopic yield stress is governed by the activation of the basal slip system in the randomly oriented equiaxed dynamic recrystallized (DRXed) grains. Non-DRXed grains, due to their strong texture, are favored oriented for the activation of tensile twinning. However, the presence of lamellar-shape precipitates strongly delays the propagation of lenticular thin twins through these highly oriented grains and they have no effect on the onset of the plastic deformation. Therefore, the tension–compression asymmetry is low since the plasticity mechanism is independent of the stress mode.

Tension–compression asymmetry in mechanical properties of diamond nanopillars: molecular dynamics simulations

Tension–compression asymmetry in mechanical properties of diamond nanopillars: molecular dynamics simulations

A viscoplastic self-consistent analysis of tensile anisotropy and tension-compression asymmetry in rare-earth magnesium alloy

The anisotropy and tension-compression asymmetry of rare-earth magnesium (Mg-RE) alloys have attracted significant attention. In this study, the room-temperature tensile anisotropy and tension-compression asymmetry of the extruded Mg-8.5Gd-4.5Y-0.8Zn-0.4Zr alloy were investigated utilizing techniques such as optical microscopy (OM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and viscoplastic self-consistent (VPSC) modeling. Among the tensile samples, the T0 sample (with axis parallel to extrusion direction) exhibits the greatest tensile yield strength (TYS) of 270 MPa and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 336 MPa, the T45 sample (with axis inclined at a 45° angle to extrusion direction) and T90 sample (with axis perpendicular to extrusion direction) exhibit lower TYS and UTS. The C0 sample shows a slightly greater compressive yield strength (CYS) of 290 MPa. The ratio of TYS/CYS is approximately 1.07. This study significantly adjusts the VPSC hardening parameters through the Schmid factor of deformation mechanisms in Mg-RE alloy, particularly increasing the τ0 (critical resolved shear stress, CRSS) and τ1 values for basal <a> slip and {10-12} twinning. The ratios of CRSS for other deformation mechanisms to basal <a> slip are approximately as follows: CRSSTwin/CRSSBas = 2, CRSSPri/CRSSBas ≈ 2.7 and CRSSPyr/CRSSBas ≈ 3.3, while these ratios in traditional alloys are generally higher. The stress-strain curves and pole figures obtained from the modified VPSC model demonstrate excellent agreement with experimental results. According to the VPSC simulation results, the primary factor contributing to tensile anisotropy is the disparity in the activation levels of slip systems. The inclusion of rare-earth elements mitigates the tension-compression asymmetry by reducing the difference of CRSS between different deformation mechanisms.

Distorted dislocation cores and asymmetric glide resistances in titanium

The determination of Critical Resolved Shear Stress (CRSS) in titanium for basal, prismatic, and pyramidal slip-planes without empirical constants is presented by combining Density Functional Theory (DFT) and anisotropic elasticity. A new mechanism leading to tension-compression (T-C) asymmetry in the CRSS levels has been revealed for the first time. The conditions for this asymmetry are established, involving a complex interplay between the dislocation core-structure and core-advance behavior. The three conditions for T-C asymmetry that need to be simultaneously satisfied can be summarized as: (1) a medium stacking fault width, d, (3<d/bF<10, where bF is the magnitude of the Burgers vector of the full dislocation), (2) an asymmetric core-structure of the extended dislocation (ξ1≠ξ2, where ξ1 and ξ2 are the core-widths of the first and second partials, respectively), and (3) intermittent motion of the partials (Δd/bF≠0, where Δd is the magnitude of fluctuation in stacking fault width during intermittent motion). Pyramidal-slip in titanium satisfies all three conditions, resulting in significant T-C asymmetry. The CRSS theory considers a Wigner-Seitz (W-S) cell based domain area assigned to each lattice site for the calculations of core-energies accurately capturing the slip-plane lattice. The W-S based approach is essential due to the lower symmetry of the HCP crystal circumventing potential errors associated with the one-dimensional atomic-row approximation. Dislocation core structures are obtained for all the slip-systems in titanium showing significant distortion of the disregistry profile governing the core-advance behavior. The CRSS values predicted from the theory show agreement with the experimental CRSS levels reported in the literature.

Tension–Compression Asymmetry of BCC NbMoTaW in High Entropy Alloy Nanowires

Tension–Compression Asymmetry of BCC NbMoTaW in High Entropy Alloy Nanowires

Research and simulation on the thermal mechanical properties of functionally graded shape memory alloy composite beam considering tension-compression asymmetry

Considering the tension-compression asymmetry of Shape Memory Alloy (SMA), the tension and compression constitutive equations of the Functionally Graded Shape Memory Alloy (FG-SMA) beam are established based on the simplified constitutive relation of SMA. The influences of the power exponent, temperature, tension-compression asymmetry coefficient, and strain (along the length direction of the beam) on the martensite volume fraction and stress of the beam are analyzed, and the correctness of the theory is verified by comparing the results of theory with finite element analysis. The research shows that when the height of the beam is constant, the power exponent, temperature, tension-compression asymmetry coefficient are proportional (inversely proportional) to the stress (martensite volume fraction) of the cross-section, and the strain is proportional to both the stress and martensite volume fraction of the cross-section. When the other conditions are fixed, compared with compression, the martensite volume fraction (stress) under tension is larger (slightly less) at the same layer cross-section position.

Strain rate-dependent failure mechanics of the intervertebral disc under tension/compression and constitutive analysis

BackgroundThe intervertebral disc exhibits not only strain rate dependence (viscoelasticity), but also significant asymmetry under tensile and compressive loads, which is of great significance for understanding the mechanism of lumbar disc injury under physiological loads. ObjectiveIn this study, the strain rate sensitive and tension-compression asymmetry of the intervertebral disc were analyzed by experiments and constitutive equation. MethodThe Sheep intervertebral disc samples were divided into three groups, in order to test the strain rate sensitive mechanical behavior, and the internal displacement as well as pressure distribution. ResultsThe tensile stiffness is one order of magnitude smaller than the compression stiffness, and the logarithm of the elastic modulus is approximately linear with the logarithm of the strain rate, showing obvious tension-compression asymmetry and rate-related characteristics. In addition, the sensitivity to the strain rate is the same under these two loading conditions. The stress–strain curves of unloading and loading usually do not coincide, and form a Mullins effect hysteresis loop. The radial displacement distribution is opposite between the anterior and posterior region, which is consistent with the stress distribution. By introducing the damage factor into ZWT constitutive equation, the rate-dependent viscoelastic and weakening behavior of the intervertebral disc can be well described.

Automatic parameter identification of a shape memory alloy model using characteristic experimental data points

Identifying material parameters of constitutive models can be a time consuming process. This is especially evident when the constitutive models have many parameters. In this work, an automatic identification procedure is described to determine the various parameters of a shape memory alloy model. The procedure requires some parameters as manual inputs (to be determined via trial and error) and determines some of the parameters directly from experimental data. In addition, the procedure calculates some of the parameters using Newton’s method based on characteristic data points so that the simulation curves pass through those points. As a result, the method essentially decouples the effects of the parameters on the simulation uniaxial test curves. The automatic identification procedure is applied for uniaxial tests dealing with transformation, tension–compression asymmetry, internal loops, plasticity and functional fatigue. The procedure is fast, flexible and reasonably accurate. However, the approach is currently limited to uniaxial tests, small strains and needs to be tailored to each model individually.

Understanding the Reversed Tension–Compression Asymmetry of an Extruded Mg-10Y Sheet from the Perspective of Slip Activity and Plastic Heterogeneity

Understanding the Reversed Tension–Compression Asymmetry of an Extruded Mg-10Y Sheet from the Perspective of Slip Activity and Plastic Heterogeneity

On the habit planes between elastically distorted austenite and martensite in NiTi

The cubic B2 to monoclinic B19’ martensitic transformation in NiTi shape memory alloys proceeds by the nucleation and propagation of habit plane interfaces that remain undistorted and unrotated during the transformation. Due to incompatibility of austenite and martensite lattices in NiTi, habit plane interfaces are assumed to form between austenite and twinned martensite as described by Phenomenological Theory of Martensite Crystallography (PTMC). This view is currently widely spread in the literature in spite of the fact that it contradicts experimental observations of interfaces between austenite and single martensite lattice by TEM and EBSD methods frequently reported in the literature. On this account, we propose a different solution for the formation of strain compatible habit planes propagating during stress induced martensitic transformation by considering the effect of elastic deformation of both lattices caused by the external stress. Using modified PTMC theory, we evaluate the magnitudes of the uniaxial stress in tension and compression along a general austenite crystal direction, for which strain compatible habit plane interfaces can be established between austenite and single variant of martensite. The stress calculated in such a way is, however, too high. Nevertheless, considering the pre-transformation softening of austenite, the critical stress decreases to 500 MPa commonly observed in experiments. Three scenarios are simulated assuming softening of elastic constants of austenite. Orientation dependence and tension-compression asymmetry of predicted habit planes of stress induced martensitic transformation is compared with available experimental results.

An Analytical Model for Nonlinear-Elastic Compliant Mechanisms with Tension-Compression Asymmetry

Abstract While nonlinear-elastic materials demonstrate potential in enhancing the performance of compliant mechanisms, their behavior still needs to be captured in a generalized mechanical model. To inform new designs and functionality of compliant mechanisms, a better understanding of nonlinear-elastic materials is necessary and, in particular, their mechanical properties that often differ in tension and compression. In the current work, a beam-based analytical model incorporating nonlinear-elastic material behavior is defined for a folding compliant mechanism geometry. Exact equations are derived capturing the nonlinear curvature profile and shift in the neutral axis due to the material asymmetry. The deflection and curvature profile are compared with finite element analysis along with stress-distribution across the beam thickness. The analytical model is shown to be a good approximation of the behavior of nonlinear-elastic materials with tension-compression asymmetry under the assumptions of the von Kármán strain theory. Through a segmentation approach, the geometries of a semicircular arc and folding compliant mechanism design are defined. The deflection of the folding compliant mechanism due to an applied tip load is then evaluated against finite element analysis and experimental results. The generalized methods presented highlight the utility of the model for designing and predicting the behavior of other compliant mechanism geometries and different nonlinear-elastic materials.

A continuum damage model for Mg/Al composite sheets rolling: Theoretical development and application

Edge cracks, which are typical formability defects, severely limit the widespread application of Mg/Al composite sheets. Accurate prediction of damage is crucial for understanding the underlying mechanisms behind crack formation. In this study, a continuum damage model that incorporates the stress-state function and effective equivalent plastic strain into the standard Lemaitre model is proposed. This enhanced model effectively addresses the issues of damage-evolution linearization and tension–compression asymmetry in the standard Lemaitre model. Thus, it can be successfully applied to predict the fracture response of ductile composite materials under pressure-forming conditions. Considering AZ31B Mg alloy and 5052 Al alloy as experimental materials, physical experiments and numerical validation are performed under a 50% reduction and 350 °C. The findings show that the proposed model effectively captures crack initiation and propagation during the rolling process, with errors of only 23.1% and 19.9% for average crack quantity and length, respectively. Results of numerical analysis reveals that the high-stress triaxiality at the edge of the sheet contributes significantly to crack formation. Additionally, the strain along the normal direction in the Al alloy significantly affects crack propagation and the formation of serrated cracks on the side of Mg alloy. This study provides important theoretical foundations for the development of Mg-based composite sheets.