Papers by Author: E.C. Oliver

Abstract: The paper presents results of in-situ neutron diffraction experiments aimed on monitoring the phase evolution and load distribution in TRIP steel when subjected to tensile loading. Tensile deformation behaviour of TRIP steel with different initial microstructures showed that the applied tensile load is redistributed at the yield point and the harder retained austenite (Feγ) bears larger load then ferrite (Feα) matrix. After load partioning is finished, macroscopic yielding comes through simultaneous activity of the martensite transformation (in the austenite) and plastic deformation process in ferrite. The steel with higher volume fraction of retained austenite and less stronger ferrite appears to be a better TRIP steel having efficient structure for better plasticity purpose.

Abstract: In the present work in situ neutron diffraction and acoustic emission were used concurrently to study deformation twinning in two ZM20 Mg alloys with significantly different grain sizes at room temperature. The combination of these techniques allows differentionation between the twin nucleation and the twin growth mechanisms. It is shown, that yielding and immediate post-yielding plasticity in compression is governed primarily by twin nucleation, whereas the plasticity at higher strains is governed by twin growth. The current results further suggest that yielding by twinning happens in a slightly different manner in the fine-grained as compared to the coarse-grained alloy.

Abstract: In this work, the influence of temperature on the mechanical properties of duplex steel is studied by performing monotonic “in situ” tension and compression at 200oC. The lattice strains in both phases were measured using the time-of-flight neutron diffraction method (at the ISIS spallation neutron source, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK). A thermal-elastic selfconsistent model was used to predict the expansion of the interplanar spacings during heating to 200°C. Subsequently, the variation of phase stresses during tensile and compressive loading at room temperature (20°C) and at 200°C were theoretically calculated by the elastoplastic self-consistent model. Comparing the model data with experimental results the critical resolved shear stresses and work hardening parameters were determined individually in each phase of the DSS. Finally, the yield stresses in each phase of the studied steel have been estimated. It was found that both yield points (of austenite and ferrite) are lower at 200°C than those at room temperature.

Abstract: This paper describes the thermo-elasto-plastic analysis of bath and spray quenched AISI 316L cylinders. A suitably detailed continuum deformation analysis approach presented here is implemented within the framework of commercial Finite Element (FE) package ABAQUS. The results of the numerical analysis are compared with the residual elastic strains measured experimentally using neutron diffraction. The good agreement between measured and modelled residual elastic strains provides a basis for careful analysis of the residual elastic strain development resulting from two different quench methods. The conclusions drawn from the analysis provides a better understanding of quench processsing, so that the effects of different heat removal efficiencies of such processing technique can be taken advantage of to generate favourable residual elastic stress and deformation and microstructural distributions with quench processed components.

Abstract: In-situ neutron diffraction has been used to study the pseudoelastic-like behaviour of hydrostatically extruded AZ31 magnesium alloy during stress-strain cycles in compression and tension along the extrusion direction. It has been confirmed that the activation of reversal twinning processes during unloading is responsible for the macroscopically observed hysteresis effect. Moreover, neutron diffraction data reveals the existence of high tensile stresses in grains which have just experienced significant twinning activity prior to the start of the unload cycle. It is thus proposed that this tensile stresses provides the necessary driving force for the activation of untwinning in already twinned grains.

Abstract: Although Friction Stir Welding (FSW) avoids many of the problems encountered when fusion welding high strength Al-alloys, it can still result in substantial residual stresses that have a detrimental impact on service life. An FE model has been developed to investigate the effectives of the mechanical tensioning technique for controlling residual stresses in FSWs. The model purely considered the heat input and the mechanical effects of the tool were ignored. Variables, such as tensioning level, heat input, and plate geometry, have been studied. Good general agreement was found between modelling results and residual stress measurements, justifying the assumption that the stress development is dominated by the thermal field. The results showed a progressive decrease in the residual stresses for increasing tensioning levels and, although affected by the heat input, a relatively low sensitivity to the welding variables. At tensioning levels greater than ~ 50% of the room temperature yield stress, tensile were replaced by compressive residual stresses within the weld.

Abstract: On ECRS-6 [1], we have presented first results of the researches of fatigue degradation and martensitic transformation of austenitic stainless steel AISI 321 by neutron diffraction stress analysis. A series of samples preliminary ex-situ cyclically fatigued at the frequency of 5 and 0.5 Hz was in-situ tested on the stress rig of the ENGIN instrument. In the high cycle fatigued (HCF) samples, the applied stress-elastic strain responses of austenite and martensite phases were find out to be strongly different as compared to the low cycle fatigued (LCF) samples, in which they are close. Moreover, the martensite Poisson ratio in the HCF-samples is almost twice to that of observed 0.28-0.30 in austenite and in both phases of the LCF-samples. With the purpose to search the reason of such unusual behavior of the martensite phase, one of the HCF-samples has been anew in-situ tested on the stress rig of the ENGIN-X in: 1) a LCF-mode at the frequency of 0.1 Hz to increase the fatigue level, and 2) a quasistatic mode to measure the applied stress-elastic strain responses of both phases. Also, two of the LCF-samples have been subjected to the ex-situ secondary HCF-testing at the frequency of 5 Hz and again in-situ measured on the ENGIN-X stress rig. Results of the mechanical characterization of phases in the twice fatigued austenitic stainless steel are presented and discussed.

Abstract: A new method for determining the parameters characterising elastoplastic deformation of two-phase material is proposed. The method is based on the results of neutron diffraction, which are analysed using the self-consistent rate-independent model of elastoplastic deformation. The neutron diffraction method (time-of-flight technique) was applied and the self-consistent model was used to predict the second order stresses in austeno-ferritic duplex steel. Calculations based on the model were successfully compared with experimental results for both phases of the duplex steel.

Abstract: The aim of this work is to study the influence of residual stresses on the properties of textured duplex stainless steel (DSS). The properties of both phases in DSS were studied using Xray diffraction whilst external load was applied “in situ” to the sample. The interpretation of experimental data is based on the diffraction elastic constants calculated by the self-consistent model taking into account the anisotropy of the studied material. Carrying out measurements in both compression and tension by using neutron diffraction, important differences in the evolution of lattice strains were noticed. An elastoplastic model is used to predict the evolution of the internal stresses during loading and to identify critical resolved shear stresses and strain hardening parameters of the material. The influence of the initial residual stresses on the yield stresses of the phases is considered. The difference between tensile and compressive behaviour of the steel is explained when the initial stresses (measured in the as received non-loaded sample by diffraction methods) are taken into account in model calculations. The yield stresses in each phase of the studied steel have been experimentally determined and successfully compared with the results of the elastoplastic self-consistent model.

Abstract: Finite element modelling has proved to be an effective tool for the investigation of trends effected by changing welding conditions. This is especially important in mechanical tensioning of friction stir welds because of the large number of parameters involved. In this paper, an FE model is used to examine the effectiveness of the mechanical tensioning technique for controlling residual stresses in FSWs by the investigation of trends caused by changes to the welding parameters. Comparisons between different geometries, traverse speeds, and welding off-axis angle all produced consistent results, and showed that the peak stresses are most strongly influenced by both the local tensioning and heat input, and not by the more global welding conditions. The results also showed a progressive decrease in the residual stresses for increasing tensioning levels and, although affected by the heat input, a relatively low sensitivity to the welding variables. At tensioning levels greater than ~50% of the room temperature yield stress, tensile stresses were replaced by compressive residual stresses within the weld.