Microtexture tracking in hot-deformed polycrystalline aluminium: Comparison with simulations

The average rotations of 157 individual grains measured in an Al–0.1%Mn polycrystal deformed in hot plane-strain compression to a strain of 1.2 have been compared to the predictions from several crystal plasticity models. The Taylor model successfully predicts the distributions of the rotation angles, but overestimates the rate of evolution of the rotation axes, which explains the overestimation of the final texture. The model also provides a first-order agreement for the rotation axes and the final components of the individual grains. The discrepancies are related to the influence of grain interaction. The main mechanisms of texture development at the level of the individual grains are identified through an analysis of their orientation trajectories. The introduction of local grain interactions, which produce a rotation variability at constant orientation, is shown to weaken texture development.