Crystal plasticity analysis of cylindrical indentation on a Ni-base single crystal superalloy

•Cylindrical indentation on Nickel base single crystal superalloy is considered.•Primary indentation direction is [0 0 1] with two secondary directions [1 1 0], [0 1 0].•3D crystal plasticity simulations provide dominant slip systems on free surface.•Good agreement is found with experimentally observed slip lines.•Simulations show significant differences between core and free surface behaviour.

Crystal plasticity simulations and experiments of cylindrical indentation on Nickel base single crystal superalloy specimens are presented and discussed. The subsurface stress and strain fields presented are similar to those observed in meso-scale dovetail joints in single crystal turbine blades. Load is applied in the [0 0 1] primary orientation while the secondary orientation of the single substrate is varied. The secondary orientations [1¯10] and [0 1 0] are examined at room temperature. The plastic zone below the indent is analysed in terms of the activated slip systems. The Finite Element predictions are compared to the detailed experimental observation of slip lines on the free lateral surface of the substrate. Results presented are of particular relevance to the understanding of slip localisation in single crystal dovetail contacts and subsequent crystallographic crack nucleation and propagation induced by subsurface shear stresses.