Effect of cyclic loading on the yield surface evolution of 18G2A low-alloy steel

Experimental analysis is presented of the plastic properties of 18G2A steel (notation according to Polish Standards) in the as-received state, and of the same material subjected to cyclic predeformation in different directions of the two-dimensional stress space (σ_xx, τ_xy). The analysis was made by studying the position in stress space and by determination of typical dimensions of the yield surfaces. The initial yield surface has been determined using a number of specimens which were loaded up to the plastic range along different stress directions, and this surface was used as the starting point for comparative studies of yield surfaces of the cyclic prestrained material. Cyclic predeformations were induced by loading at ambient temperature. After predeformation, yield surfaces were determined by the technique of sequential probes of the single specimen. The anisotropic yield condition due to Szczepiński was shown to model the experimental results well. Prior cyclic loading induced the softening effect observed during subsequent monotonic loading of the steel in the plastic strain range considered.