Constitutive Equations for Mg Alloy Hot Work Modeling

Constitutive equations for hot working are of great importance in optimizing forming processes to balance reductions in preheating and force, to avoid defects and to improve properties. Flow curve shapes and. constitutive parameters are affected by variations in composition, in homogenization, in grain morphology and significantly in texture. Confidence in published analyses is enhanced by existence of many data for the same or similar alloys. In this paper, constitutive equations have been collected for commercial Mg alloys from torsion, compression and tension tests in the range from 10-3 to 10 s-1 and 180 – 500°C. Some data were determined by the authors’ but more came from published reports; in some cases they have been re-calculated in a common manner. The deformation and restoration mechanisms that control the flow curve shape and the material parameters are summarized. Microstructure investigations of strained samples are illustrated. Applications to extrusion or rolling are discussed; comparisons to Al are made as appropriate.