Effect of loading-path on the elastic modulus degradation of high strength steels

Experiments of repetitive uniaxial tension are performed for DP590, TRIP590, TRIP780, and BH220 steels. Variation of chord modulus of the four materials with accumulated plastic strain is discussed. Large specimens of uniaxial tension, wide plate tension and cruciform tension are prestrained in different plastic strain. Uniaxial tension of sub-size samples which are machined from the prestrained large specimens is performed. Dependence of the normalized chord modulus of the four metals on strain path is discussed in detail. The results show that elastic modulus degradation is dependent on the material strength, accumulated plastic strain and strain path. At the same equivalent strain, the chord modulus degradation of TRIP780, TRIP590, DP590, BH220 steels decreases in turn. The chord modulus of TRIP780 steel at 0.24 equivalent strain reaches 20.5%. The chord modulus of DP590 steel is more sensitive to strain path change than the other three metals. The path of biaxial stretching combined with uniaxial tension provides the greatest chord modulus degradation among the six loading paths. Each material should have the most suitable loading path under which the elastic modulus variation can be minimized so springback can be easily controlled.