L. Cortese

Prediction of ductile failure in materials for onshore and offshore pipeline applications

This paper shows the procedures needed to calibrate a numerical model intended for ductile damage estimation of bulk materials. For this purpose, an extensive experimental campaign has been carried out on three steels used for offshore/onshore pipe applications. Tests have been performed providing very different stress states: tensile and compressive uniaxial tests, multiaxial tensile tests on round notched bars, 3-point bend tests, again on notched geometries, and plane strain tensile tests on large grooved specimens. Based on the gathered results, a standard plasticity model has been tuned and then the damage model parameters have been identified for each investigated material. The chosen theoretical formulation can take into account all of the experimental evidence: hence, the numerical model represents a useful tool for finite element simulation of engineering problems where information concerning the materials ultimate resistance capability is needed. Moreover, the proposed calibration technique has general validity and can be used to tune other similar damage models.

Comparison Between Two Experimental Procedures for Cyclic Plastic Characterization of High Strength Steel Sheets

In finite element analysis of sheet metal forming the use of combined isotropic-kinematic hardening models is advisable to improve stamping simulation and springback prediction. This choice becomes compulsory to model recent materials such as high strength steels. Cyclic tests are strictly required to evaluate the parameters of these constitutive models. However, for sheet metal specimens, in case of simple axial tension-compression tests, buckling occurrence during compression represents a serious drawback. This is the reason why alternative set-ups have been devised. In this paper, two experimental arrangements (a cyclic laterally constrained tension-compression test and a three-point fully reversed bending test) are compared so as to point out the advantages and the disadvantages of their application in tuning the well-known Chaboche’s hardening model. In particular, for tension-compression tests, a new clamping device was specifically designed to inhibit compressive instability. Four high strength steel grades were tested: two dual phases (DP), one transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) and one high strength low alloy material (HSLA). Then, the Chaboche’s model was calibrated through inverse identification methods or by means of analytical expressions when possible. The proposed testing procedure proved to be successful in all investigated materials. The achieved constitutive parameters, obtained independently from the two experimental techniques, were found to be consistent. Their accuracy was also been assessed by applying the parameter set obtained from one test to simulate the other one, and vice versa. Clues on what method provides the better transferability are given.

An Enhanced Plasticity Model for Material Characterization at Large Strain

An experimental campaign on some isotropic steels for pipeline applications has been put forth. It was based on tests with different stress states: tension on smooth and notched geometries, torsion, three point bending, plane strain, and combined tension-torsion. The aim was the characterization of the material elasto-plastic behavior up to large strain and the calibration of a ductile damage model for failure estimation.

White-light speckle image correlation applied to large-strain material characterization

In experimental mechanics, the possibility of tracking on component surfaces the full-field stress and strain states during deformation can be utilized for many purposes such as formability limits determination, quantification of stress intensification factors, material characterization and so on. Concerning the last topic, an interesting application could be a direct identification of the elasto-plastic material response up to large deformation. It is well known, in fact, that with traditional measurement devices it is possible to retrieve the true equivalent stress versus true equivalent strain data from tensile tests only up to the onset of necking, where localization starts to occur. This work aims to show how from the knowledge of a tensile test full-field strain and of load data it will be possible to obtain the full-stress field as well as the complete material elasto-plastic behavior.

A FEM-Experimental Approach for the Development of a Conceptual Linear Actuator Based on Tendril’s Free Coiling

Within the vastness of the plant species, certain living systems show tendril structures whose motion is of particular interest for biomimetic engineers. Tendrils sense and coil around suitable grips, and by shortening in length, they erect the remaining plant body. To achieve contraction, tendrils rotate along their main axis and shift from a linear to a double-spring geometry. This phenomenon is denoted as the free-coiling phase. In this work, with the aim of understanding the fundamentals of the mechanics behind the free coiling, a reverse-engineering approach based on the finite element method was firstly applied. The model consisted of an elongated cylinder with suitable material properties, boundary, and loading conditions, in order to reproduce the kinematics of the tendril. The simulation succeeded in mimicking coiling faithfully and was therefore used to validate a tentative linear actuator model based on the plants working principle. More in detail, exploiting shape memory alloy materials to obtain large reversible deformations, the main tendril features were implemented into a nickel-titanium spring-based testing model. The results of the experimental tests confirmed the feasibility of the idea in terms of both functioning principles and actual performance. It can be concluded that the final set-up can be used as a base for a prototype design of a new kind of a linear actuator.

Application of Ductile Damage Concepts in the Evaluation of Material Formability during Screw Head Cold Forming

An up to date approach to material cold formability, based on a conventional J2 theory for plasticity together an uncoupled linear plastic damage evolution theory, is applied to the study of steel bolt head cold forming. Specific laboratory tests to characterize the material formability have been used. Finite element simulations have been performed to characterize the strain and stress state both in the forming process and in experimental tests to determine the material ductile fracture locus. The influence of chemical composition and initial microstructure is discussed.

Full-Field Stress Measurement From Strain and Load Data

In experimental mechanics, the possibility of tracking on component surfaces the full-field stress and strain states during deformation, always stimulated the research and the study of new measurement techniques. This information, then, can be utilized for many purposes such as formability limits determination, quantification of stress intensification factors, material characterization and so on. Concerning the last topic, an interesting application could be a direct identification of the elasto-plastic material response up to high deformation. It is well known, in fact, that with traditional measurement devices it is possible to retrieve the true equivalent stress versus true equivalent strain data from tensile tests up to the onset of necking, where localization starts to occur. On the contrary, the acquisition of the whole local stress-strain field would allow the overcoming of this limitation.