Simplified method to identify full von Mises stress-strain curve of structural metals.

The relationship between von Mises equivalent stress σ ¯ and equivalent plastic strain ε ¯ (PEEQ), termed as von Mises stress-strain, plays an important role in numerical simulations for ductile fracture of structural metallic materials with large plastic strain. The standard uniaxial tensile test on cylindrical specimens is the most straightforward method to derive the (σ ¯ − ε ¯) data. However, the distribution of the stress and strain along the necking section of the tensile specimen is no longer uniform in the post-necking process, which induces difficulty in acquiring the (σ ¯ − ε ¯) data. The existing correction methods to identify von Mises stress-strain in the post-necking regime need instantaneous geometry of the notched region and ignore influence of the initial geometry of the specimen, which induces these methods are inconvenient for application and inapplicable for circumferentially notched tensile specimens to determine (σ ¯ − ε ¯) of each individual material zone in a hybrid coupon (e.g. weldment). In the present study, influences of initial geometry of the specimen and plastic hardening property of material on necking process are investigated firstly. It is found that the shrinking behavior of the minimum cross-section of the specimen is determined by the geometric parameter of specimen and plastic hardening exponent of materials. Based on an extensive parametric study a modified power law function to characterize the von Mises stress-strain curve from tensile tests on circumferentially notched specimens without measuring instantaneous geometry of cross-section is proposed. [Display omitted] • Effects of initial geometry and hardening property on necking process are studied. • A method is proposed to identify the full von Mises stress-strain curve. • The proposed method is applicable to circumferentially notched tensile specimens. • No instantaneous geometry is needed. • The proposed method is verified by using test results of structural steels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]