Tension–compression asymmetry of stress-induced transformations in martensitic Cu-12 wt.% Al alloys

The room temperature tensile and compressive mechanical behaviors of a β1′ martensitic Cu-12 wt.% Al alloy with < 001>β1 or < 011>β1 orientation fabricated by Ohno continuous casting were investigated. An orientation-dependent tension–compression asymmetry was observed in the specimens. The various stress-induced martensite–martensite transformations were also observed in the specimens with different orientations or under different loading conditions. The anisotropy and asymmetry of mechanical behaviors of the alloy are closely related to the orientation dependence and the asymmetry of the stress-induced phase transformation. The transformation strains which were calculated based on a developed stress-induced phase transformation model and deformation mechanism of the alloy were discussed to explain the deformation behaviors.

► Tension–compression asymmetry of martensitic Cu–Al alloy was observed.
► The asymmetry of stress-induced transformations was also observed.
► Deformation mechanism was discussed to explain the deformation behavior.