A different approach for considering the effect of non-proportional loading path on the forming limit diagram of AA5083

In this paper, the effects of strain path change on the forming limit diagram (FLD) of AA5083 sheet were investigated. The aim is to predict the forming limit curve (FLC) with non-proportional loading path by ductile fracture criteria. For this purpose, some square blanks were pre-strained by uniaxial tension in rolling direction (RD) and transverse direction (TD), and some others were pre-strained by biaxial stretching over a hemispherical punch. Then, the FLD test specimens were prepared by trimming the pre-strained blanks with the longitudinal axis in the RD and TD directions. The out-of-plane formability test was used for obtaining the FLD. The commercial finite element software ABAQUSE 6.9 was used for simulation in accordance with the experimental procedure. For trimming in the simulation environment, a program was written in MATLAB 7.6 that could determine the elements and introduce their properties to the new simulation model. Ductile fracture criteria were used for predicting the failure, and the Hill’79 criterion was used for applying the anisotropic coefficients. The results show that pre-straining in biaxial tension generally reduces the FLC and shifts it to the right-hand side of the FLD, whereas pre-straining in uniaxial tension raises the FLC and shifts it to the left-hand side. The numerical results were compared with the experimental findings, and relatively good agreement was achieved.

► The effect of strain path change on the FLD was predicted numerically.
► A combination of finite element simulation and ductile fracture criteria were used.
► A program was written for preparing the FLD specimens from the pre-strained blanks.
► Strain path change in RD and TD directions on the FLD of AA5083 was compared.