Grain-level statistical plasticity analysis on strain cycle fatigue of a FCC metal

The micromechanical strain cycle fatigue-life is systematically investigated by the micro-level numerical simulation, compared with symmetrical strain cycle experiments of copper, focusing on the characteristics of polycrystalline aggregation and the mechanism of microscale plastic deformation. A methodology to predict the low-cycle fatigue life by micro-level simulation along with statistical analysis is proposed through the following steps: (1) A crystal plasticity model is developed based on the nonlinear kinematic hardening mechanism of crystal slipping system. This model is applied to the calculations of crystal grain interior stresses and plastic strains. (2) A statistical representative volume element (SRVE) is constructed for a pure copper as a material model which features a polycrystalline Voronoi aggregation consisting of a number of crystal grains. This SRVE can be used for statistical analysis of the material inhomogeneous stresses and strains during cycle loading. (3) The simulations are performed to model the experimental cycle evolution of strain fatigue by using the SRVE under the symmetrical tensile–compressive loading. (4) Statistical and micromechanical analyses are carried out for the inhomogeneous interior stresses and strains of the SRVE of the polycrystalline copper in the low cycle regime. The resulting analysis can render the microscale interpretation and numerical simulation for the low-cycle fatigue evolution accordingly.