Numerical modelling of plastic forming of aluminium single crystals

The current study focused on modelling of micro-deep drawing of aluminium single crystals using a physically-based crystal plasticity model. The approach consisted in modelling the gauge area located at the centre of the crystals with boundary conditions extracted from displacement fields measured experimentally by digital image correlation. Thanks to three different geometries of samples, three loading paths were considered: uniaxial tension, plane strain tension and equi-biaxial tension. Comparisons between simulations and experimental observations were performed in terms of displacement fields, strain fields and slip traces. Data obtained from the simulations also allowed analysis of the results in terms of crystal rotation, dislocation density evolution and accumulated slip. Reasonable agreement between experimental observations and simulations was generally obtained, except for the prediction of strain localisation which was only correct in the case of uniaxial and plane strain tension. Discrepancies and validity of the modelling approach are then discussed in terms of experimental inaccuracies and numerical approximations.