A rate-dependent constitutive equation for 5052 aluminum diaphragms

• We use experimental and numerical approaches to present a constitutive equation.
• We analyze 5052 aluminum diaphragms under quasi-static strain rate loadings.
• We obtain stress–strain curves at different strain rates using tensile tests.
• We develop UMAT subroutine utilizing von Mises theory and an own solution algorithm.
• We verify the constitutive equation results employing a bulge test.

In this article, both experimental and numerical approaches are conducted to present a constitutive equation for 5052 aluminum diaphragms under quasi-static strain rate loadings. For this purpose the stress–strain curves at different strain rates are obtained using tensile tests. Brittle behavior during tensile tests is observed due to samples thin thicknesses. Employing Johnson–Cook constitutive equation no yields in reasonable agreement with these tensile tests results. Therefore, developing a more suitable constitutive equation for aluminum diaphragms is taken into consideration. This equation is then implemented into the commercial finite element software, ABAQUS, via a developed user material (UMAT) subroutine utilizing von Mises plasticity theory and an own solution algorithm. A single-element pathological test method is adopted to show the well-development of the UMAT subroutine. In order to verify the proposed constitutive equation for precision predicting of mechanical behavior, a bulge test is performed in which demonstrates a good agreement between experimental and numerical results.