A crystal plasticity finite element analysis of cross-grain deformation heterogeneity in equal channel angular extrusion and its implications for texture evolution

A crystal plasticity finite element (CPFE) method was applied to evaluate cross-grain deformation heterogeneity and its implication on texture evolution during equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) of pure copper. The simulations were conducted for one to four passes of ECAE via route C, assuming simple shear in each pass at the macroscopic level. Analyses of the stress and strain distributions reveal considerable deformation heterogeneities across individual grains in the polycrystal. The grain interactions are found to be remarkable after even-numbered passes and they partly contribute to the retained shear textures. The CPFE model captures very well the experimental textures after odd-numbered passes; however, it is not able to model the measured textures subsequent to even-numbered passes, and the results are only slightly improved as compared to a visco-plasticity self-consistent polycrystal model. These results suggest that dedicated considerations of deformation heterogeneities at both the macro- and meso-levels are necessary in modeling texture evolution during severe plastic deformation.