A new experimental approach for obtaining diffuse-strain flow stress curves

A new experimental approach for determining the sheet metal flow stress curve for diffuse necking deformation through the hydraulic bulge expansion (HBE) test is introduced. For this approach, a flat sheet of metal is bulged under the load of hydraulic pressure within the confines of a rigid binder/die tool set of circular die opening. The hydraulic pressure and volume flow rate of the pressurized water entering the die cavity are recorded in real time. Operating under the assumption of thin-walled pressure vessel behavior, the real time data are used to compute the flow stress curve for the material type considered. The novel aspect of the proposed technique is the use of water volume measurement for determining the radius of curvature of the expanding dome. An example flow stress curve for 1.0 mm thick DDQ cold rolled sheet steel is shown to be in good agreement with the flow stress curve obtained through the standard uniaxial tension test. One key advantage of this proposed method is that the analyst may determine the diffuse necking portion of the flow stress curve without employing cumbersome techniques associated with uniaxial tensile test methods. Two disadvantages of the proposed method are the uncertainty associated with having to assume a yield surface, and the error associated with having to assume membrane behavior in the work piece. The introduction of this new method will increase researchers’ access to practical methods for obtaining sheet metal flow stress curves.