Experimental and computational investigations on fracture behaviour of extra deep drawn steel sheets in general yield regime

Abstract

Sheet metals have wide applications such as pressure vessels, auto components and newlineaircrafts. Sheet forming processes are among the most important processes in manufacturing. newlineParticularly these processes are important in the field of car body and auto components newlinemanufacturing, due to the fact that the tools are very expensive and any failure or redesign newlineprocedure dramatically increases the price of the products. Fracture phenomenon is one of the newlinemain obstacles affecting sheet metal forming as accurate prediction of fracture initiation is newlinedifficult in the forming processes. Numerous efforts are to predict accurate fracture limits of newlinesheet metals by using formability approach. However, even today to prevent crack formation newlineduring forming process is a challenging task. newlineThe phenomena of crack initiation and crack propagation are dealt within the discipline newlineof fracture mechanics. Significant deformation ahead of crack tip plays an important role in newlinecrack initiation and crack propagation process. Extensive deformation ahead of a crack tip region newlinehas emerged a new discipline in fracture mechanics called general yielding fracture mechanics newline(GYFM). newlinePresent study aims to evaluate fracture behaviour of Extra deep drawn (EDD) steel sheets newlineusing fracture mechanics approach to predict fracture limits accurately which will be beneficial newlineto both, sheet metal manufacturer and their industrial users (product manufacturers). Amongst newlinesheet metals, EDD steel sheets are widely used in auto components. There is an increasing newlinedemand in ensuring consistency in quality and avoid wastage of material during forming newlineoperations. Formability approach is being utilized to predict fracture limits (load at crack newlineinitiation and critical forming rate) for so many decades with numerous attempts made in newlineimproving the quality and ensuring the consistency in quality of EDD steel sheets. newlineFracture mechanics approach is suggested to EDD steel sheet manufacturer to build a newlinecomplete framework in which new methodologies of investigations correlatin.