Plastic behavior of 70/30 brass sheet

The plastic yield behavior of strip annealed 70/30 brass sheet has been investigated using several experimental techniques. Proportional path, stress-strain relations were measured in two strain states using a recently devised plane-strain test and a standard sheet tensile test. Based on these data, 70/30 brass exhibits a dramatic departure from Hill's plasticity models. Particularly notable is the lower work-hardening rate in plane strain. A second series of tests was carried out by deforming first in plane-strain tension and subsequently in uniaxial tension. The relative orientation of the principal strain directions in the two strain paths strongly affected the transient yielding behavior, but the original work-hardening pattern and plastic anisotropy were approached after an additional effective strain of ∼0.04. These observations are consistent with a two yield-surface model;i.e., one an underlying, proportional path yield surface and one an instantaneous, transient yield surface.