Work softening of drawn low carbon steel bars

Abstract

The work hardening of metals subjected to complex processing paths is different from that in monotonic deformation. Changes in the deformation mode can promote transients in the strain-hardening rate, leading to anomalous softening or hardening of the material. This paper investigates the influence of strain path changes on the tensile behavior of drawn 0.12% steel rods. Annealed or predrawn specimens were submitted to cyclic twisting and then tested in tension. The results show that the cyclic deformation causes changes in the mechanical behavior of the metal, and the effect will depend on the previous "history" of the material. Cyclic twisting causes hardening in annealed samples, but leads to softening of the drawn bars. These phenomena are in line with the corresponding substructural aspects.

Keywords

• strain path
• mechanical properties