New flow rules in elasto-viscoplastic constitutive models for spheroidal graphite cast-iron

A specific flow rules and the corresponding constitutive elasto-viscoplastic model combined with new experimental strategy are introduced in order to represent a spheroidal graphite cast-iron behaviour on a wide range of strain, strain rate and temperature. A “full model” is first proposed to correctly reproduce the alloy behaviour even for very small strain levels. A “light model” with a bit poorer experimental agreement but a simpler formulation is also proposed. These macroscopic models, whose equations are based on physical phenomena observed at the dislocation scale, are able to cope with the various load conditions tested – progressive straining and cyclic hardening tests – and to correctly describe anisothermal evolution. The accuracy of these two models and the experimental databases to which they are linked is estimated on different types of experimental tests and compared with the accuracy of more standard Chaboche-type constitutive models. Each test leads to the superiority of the “full model”, particularly for slow strain rates regimes. After developing a material user subroutine, FEM simulations are performed on Abaqus for a car engine exhaust manifold and confirm the good results obtained from the experimental basis. We obtain more accurate results than those given by more traditional laws. A very good correlation is observed between the simulations and the engine bench tests.