Macroscopic and Microscopic Non-Uniform Deformations of Polycrystalline Pure Copper during Uniaxial Tensile Test with High Stress Gradient

Abstract

Metallic materials usually have microscopically heterogeneous structures, such as polycrystalline structures, affecting macroscopic mechanical characteristics. Both macroscopic and microscopic non-uniform deformations of polycrystalline pure copper under a moderate stress gradient were investigated. In this study, macroscopic and microscopic non-uniform deformations under higher stress gradients are investigated. Uniaxial tensile tests using three-curve specimens with different curvatures and grain sizes were performed. In order to evaluate the heterogeneous strain field in the specimen surface, the development of the displacement field was measured using the digital image correlation method (DIC). The stress field was evaluated by coupling the DIC and finite-element methods. In smaller-grain specimens, a strong strain concentration was generated in the minimum cross-section area. Although a strong strain concentration was also confirmed in a larger-grain specimen, the strain field depended not only on the specimen shape but also on the microscopic heterogeneity. This microstructure-driven non-uniform deformation was also observed in the specimen with a larger curvature radius. These results indicated that the macroscopic non-uniform deformation should be estimated by the material parameter related to the microscopic heterogeneity.