Papers by Keyword: DP Steel

Abstract: Modeling of the transformation of the starting ferritic-pearlitic microstructure into austenite during heating in continuous annealing process was the objective of the work. Kinetics of this transformation was predicted by solving Avrami equation as well as carbon diffusion equation with a moving boundary. Mathematical and numerical models describing austenitic phase transformation were created for the 1D and 2D domains. Developed models were solved using the Finite Difference, as well as the Finite Element Method. Results of the numerical simulations include austenite volume fraction and carbon segregation profiles in the austenite. The former were compared with the experimental data obtained in laboratory simulations of the continuous annealing. Developed and validated model was applied to simulation of the austenitic transformation during annealing of DP steels.

Abstract: Improved formability has been reported due to stress relaxation when the continuous forming cycle is interrupted with steps by adjusting the punch motion. The contribution of stress relaxation and its parameters on the ductility of materials has not been established so far. In the present work, the stress relaxation behavior of three materials, low carbon steel, DP and TRIP steels are studied. The influence of strain rate and strain on the ductility enhancement due to stress relaxation is analyzed. It is observed that stress relaxation improved the ductility of materials in all the cases and therefore can be used as a potential method to improve formability in sheet metal forming.

Abstract: Dual phase (DP) steels consisting of two phases, ferrite and dispersed martensite, offer an attractive combination of strength and stretchability, which is a result of the strong distinctions of these constituents in mechanical properties. However, the damage behavior in DP steels exhibits a rather complex scenario: voids are generated by the debonding of the hard phase from the matrix and the inner cracking of the hard phase in addition to by inclusions. The target of this study is to describe the initiation and evolution of damage in DP steel and develop a microstructure-based model which is capable of reflecting the underlying damage mechanisms. Both uniaxial and biaxial tensile tests are performed and the subsequent metallographic investigations are executed to reveal the mechanisms of damage initiation and evolution under different stress state condition and attention will be paid on the influence of various microstructural features on the initiation of damage. In finite element (FE) simulations, the microstructural features are taken into account by the representative volume elements (RVE). Different treatments of the constitutive behaviour of each constituent including isotropic hardening rule and crystallographically dependent configuration with crystal plasticity finite element method are investigated. Several numerical aspects are also discussed, such as RVE size, mesh size, element type, and boundary connections. In the end, the study is attempting to achieve a quantitative assessment of the cold formability of the investigated steel in a microscopic level based on microstructure information of material as well as to understand the damage mechanisms under different stress states condition which cause the macroscopic failure during plastic deformation.

Abstract: A series of warm tensile tests for B349/590DP steel are performed at the stain rates of 0.0004/s, 0.001/s, 0.01/s and 0.08/s in this paper. From the test data, it is found that the effect of temperature and strain rate on material’s deformation behaviors is opposite to that of other temperature ranges. And with the change of strain rate and temperature, the relations between the material parameters such as the work-hardening exponent n, the stress hardening coefficient K and forming process conditions becomes uncertain. Moreover, authors investigated the reasons for above phenomena. Research results demonstrate that it is very necessary to appropriately optimize the warm forming process scheme and strictly control the warm forming process parameters so that both the formability and safety performance are considered simultaneously.

Abstract: For modern high strength steels, instead of metal instability, ductile damage triggered by the formation of microvoids or microcracks resulting from the complex material microstructure, has become the key factor responsible for the final failure in the forming process of such steels. The target of this study is to describe the initiation and evolution of damage in a dual-phase (DP) steel (DP600). By applying a newly proposed approach that is able to indicate the onset of damage in an engineering sense and quantify the subsequent damage evolution, to predict the forming limits for DP600 are predicted by simulating Nakajima test. Accordingly, two forming limit curves (FLC) are numerically computed to characterize two moments: when damage becomes pronounced and when the final failure is triggered by the accumulation of damage. Comparing with the conventional experimentally calibrated FLC at necking, the limit at crack initiation predicted by modeling gives a lower but defect-free forming boundary. The forming limit at final fracture is well captured by allowing the subsequent damage evolution to a critical value.

Abstract: In order to obtain the optimal rolling and cooling processes-parameters for producing C-Mn-Si dual phase steel on CSP line, computer-aid modeling austenite decomposition during laminar cooling is carried out in present paper. Effects of chemical compositions, finishing rolling temperature (FT7), isothermal holing temperature (HT) and isothermal holding time (t) on austenite decomposition are investigated. The optimal steel chemistry and rolling and cooling processing-parameters are obtained through the modeling. According to the modeling results, 580MPa grade C-Mn-Si DP steel is successfully produced on CSP line with 0.05~0.07mass%C,1.20~1.50mass%Mn, 0.50~0.70mass%Si, FT=820~840°C, HT=680~720°C,t=8~11s. Comparison of modeling results and industrial trials show that current modeling structure is able to model and optimize processing parameters for C-Mn-Si DP steel production on CSP line.

Abstract: To reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emission, dual phase (DP) steels have been considered for automotive applications due to their higher tensile strength, better initial work hardening along with larger elongation compared to conventional grade of steels. In such applications, which would create potential safety and reliability issues under dynamic loading, the mechanical behavior of DP steel considering the strain rate must be examined. In the present study, the dynamic tensile behavior of DP600 steel sheets was investigated using a high-speed tensile testing machine at various strain rates. And the quasi-static tensile testing was also conducted on the steel to understand the effect of the strain rate on the tensile property. The fracture mechanisms of the steel were also analyzed. The results show that the mechanical properties of DP600 steel are noticeably influenced by the strain rates. As the strain rate increases, the strength of the steel increases and the obvious yield phenomenon can be observed when the strain rate is above 0.01 s^-1. The fracture elongation of DP600 steels decreases with increasing strain rate from 0.001 to 1 s^-1, then increases up to the strain rate of 100 s^-1 and reaches the lowest value at the strain rate of 1000 s^-1. DP600 steel sheet exhibit typical ductile fracture characteristics with dimples morphology of the facture surface when tensile deformed at various strain rates.

Abstract: The microstructure and texture of rolled and annealed dual-phase steels with 0.147 wt. % C, 1.868 wt. % Mn, and 0.403 wt. % Si were analyzed using SEM, EDX, and EBSD. Hot rolled sheets showed a ferritic-pearlitic microstructure with a pearlite volume fraction of about 40 % and ferrite grain size of about 6 µm. Ferrite and pearlite were heterogeneously distributed at the surface and distributed in bands at the center of the sheets. The hot rolled sheets revealed a through-thickness texture inhomogeneity with a plane-strain texture with strong α-fiber and γ-fiber at the center and a shear texture at the surface. After cold rolling, the ferrite grains showed elongated morphology and larger orientation gradients, the period of the ferrite-pearlite band structure at the center of the sheets was decreased, and the plane-strain texture components were strengthened in the entire sheet. Recrystallization, phase transformation, and the competition of both processes were of particular interest with respect to the annealing experiments. For this purpose, various annealing techniques were applied, i.e., annealing in salt bath, conductive annealing, and industrial hot-dip coating. The sheets were annealed in the ferritic, intercritical, and austenitic temperature regimes in a wide annealing time range including variation of heating and cooling rates.

Abstract: Industrial thin slab casting and direct rolling processing started in 1989 with the world’s first CSP® plant at Crawfordsville (USA). Since this time CSP® and competing thin slab casting and direct rolling concepts have been developed to a standard process for hot strip production [1]. Typical features of the CSP® process are the homogeneous structural and mechanical properties all along the strip. Direct hot rolling of thin slabs may be followed by a well defined cooling pattern to produce hot strip from high strength multiphase steel, like dualphase (DP) grades, on the runout table. These steel grades are characterized by a favorable combination of strength and ductility based on hard martensitic particles embedded in a ductile ferritic matrix. This paper highlights the mechanical properties of hot rolled DP steel from CSP® production. To this purpose, multiple tests and modeling have been applied to determine e.g. r-values, forming limit curves and yield locus. In addition, forming simulation as well as laboratory and industrial deep drawing tests have been performed.

Abstract: Dual Phase (DP) steels are widely replacing the traditional forming steels in automotive industry. Advanced damage models are required to accurately predict the formability of DP steels. In this work, Lemaitre’s anisotropic damage model has been slightly modified for sheet metal forming applications and for strain rate dependent materials. The damage evolution law is adapted to take into account the strain rate dependency and negative triaxialities. The damage parameters for pre-production DP600 steel were determined. The modified damage models (isotropic and anisotropic) were validated using the cross die drawing test. The anisotropic damage model predicts the crack direction more accurately.