Thermoelastoplastic and Residual Stress Analysis during Induction Hardening of Steel

A theoretical model was developed to predict the thermoelastoplastic and residual stresses developed in a round steel bar during induction hardening. For numerical analysis, a quasi- static, uncoupled thermoelastoplastic solution based on the hyperbolic sine law of Tien and Richmond was formulated. The properties of the material were assumed to be temperature dependent. The phase transformation was considered in the numerical calculation, and the results were compared with the case where phase transformation is avoided. The cylinder was heated rapidly; once the temperature of the outer surface exceeded the transformation temperature, the cylinder was rapidly cooled. Accordingly, in the numerical calculation, only the area at the vicinity of the outer surface was assumed to transform to martensite. The results showed that the compressive residual stresses at the vicinity of the outer surface were considerably higher than the tensile stresses at the center.