Theoretical predictions and experimental verification of surface grain structure evolution for AA6061 during hot rolling

Finite element modeling of a hot-rolled 6061 aluminum alloy was performed with the software package DEFORMTM 2-D in order to predict the localized state variables: temperature, strain, strain rate and stress. The state variables were then incorporated into a new dynamic recrystallization (DRX) model that considers both continuous dynamic recrystallization and geometric dynamic recrystallization to predict grain structure evolution near the rolled surface. The performed DRX simulation was verified by experimental results from hot-torsion and hot-rolling experiments from the literature. The recrystallized grain structure evolution along the surface of hot-rolled AA6061 was predicted with reasonable accuracy.