Finite element simulation of a zircaloy sheet deep drawing using a polycrystalline model
Résumé
Polycrystalline models have shown a good capability of predicting mechanical and textural evolution. Among them, self-consistent models take into account the influence of several microstructural features. These models can be coupled to finite element formulations in order to simulate the evolution of microstructural and anisotropic properties of the material during a forming process. In this paper, we couple an anisotropic viscoplastic self-consistent polycrystalline model with a 3D large deformations finite element code. A deep drawing process (Erichsen test) applied to a square sheet of a strongly anisotropic alloy (Zircaloy4) is simulated. The final strain field in the sheet depends on the initial microstructure and its evolution. The calculation is illustrated at a stage where texture evolution starts playing a role in the critical thickness prediction, where the sheet is the most deformed. Updating of textural anisotropy becomes necessary when further deformation is applied.