abstract: Damage detection in heterogeneous material systems is a complex problem and requires an in-depth understanding of the material characteristics and response under varying load and environmental conditions. A significant amount of research has been conducted in this field to enhance the fidelity of damage assessment methodologies, using a wide range of sensors and detection techniques, for both metallic materials and composites. However, detecting damage at the microscale is not possible with commercially available sensors. A probable way to approach this problem is through accurate and efficient multiscale modeling techniques, which are capable of tracking damage initiation at the microscale and propagation across the length scales. The output from these models will provide an improved understanding of damage initiation; the knowledge can be used in conjunction with information from physical sensors to improve the size of detectable damage. In this research, effort has been dedicated to develop multiscale modeling approaches and associated damage criteria for the estimation of damage evolution across the relevant length scales. Important issues such as length and time scales, anisotropy and variability in material properties at the microscale, and response under mechanical and thermal loading are addressed. Two different material systems have been studied: metallic material and a novel stress-sensitive epoxy polymer. For metallic material (Al 2024-T351), the methodology initiates at the microscale where extensive material characterization is conducted to capture the microstructural variability. A statistical volume element (SVE) model is constructed to represent the material properties. Geometric and crystallographic features including grain orientation, misorientation, size, shape, principal axis direction and aspect ratio are captured. This SVE model provides a computationally efficient alternative to traditional techniques using representative volume element (RVE) models while maintaining statistical accuracy. A physics based multiscale damage criterion is developed to simulate the fatigue crack initiation. The crack growth rate and probable directions are estimated simultaneously. Mechanically sensitive materials that exhibit specific chemical reactions upon external loading are currently being investigated for self-sensing applications. The "smart" polymer modeled in this research consists of epoxy resin, hardener, and a stress-sensitive material called mechanophore The mechanophore activation is based on covalent bond-breaking induced by external stimuli; this feature can be used for material-level damage detections. In this work Tris-(Cinnamoyl oxymethyl)-Ethane (TCE) is used as the cyclobutane-based mechanophore (stress-sensitive) material in the polymer matrix. The TCE embedded polymers have shown promising results in early damage detection through mechanically induced fluorescence. A spring-bead based network model, which bridges nanoscale information to higher length scales, has been developed to model this material system. The material is partitioned into discrete mass beads which are linked using linear springs at the microscale. A series of MD simulations were performed to define the spring stiffness in the statistical network model. By integrating multiple spring-bead models a network model has been developed to represent the material properties at the mesoscale. The model captures the statistical distribution of crosslinking degree of the polymer to represent the heterogeneous material properties at the microscale. The developed multiscale methodology is computationally efficient and provides a possible means to bridge multiple length scales (from 10 nm in MD simulation to 10 mm in FE model) without significant loss of accuracy. Parametric studies have been conducted to investigate the influence of the crosslinking degree on the material behavior. The developed methodology has been used to evaluate damage evolution in the self-sensing polymer. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Mechanical Engineering 2014

Les alliages d'aluminium ont été largement utilisés dans l'industrie automobile et maritimes en raison des avantages d'une faible densité, d'une bonne résistance à la corrosion. Les travaux présentés dans ce mémoire de thèse s’intéressent à la mise en forme à chaud de tôles minces en alliage d’aluminium AA5383. L'objectif principal est de réduire le temps de formage sans sacrifier l'intégrité de la pièce. Tout d'abord, le comportement à la déformation à chaud de l'alliage AA5383 est caractérisé expérimentalement. Une campagne expérimentale comprenant d’essais de traction uniaxiale, de traction entaillées, de cisaillement et de gonflement libre est réalisée pour couvrir une plage importante de températures (623~723 K) et de vitesses de déformation (10-4~10-1 s-1). Ensuite, les modèles de matériau, tels qu'une règle de flux composite avec le critère de plasticité BBC2003 et le critère de dommage Mohr Coulomb Modifié, sont développés et mis en œuvre dans ABAQUS à l'aide du sous-programme utilisateur. Enfin, les simulations numériques des processus de formation de gaz sont effectuées et comparées aux résultats expérimentaux correspondants. / Aluminum alloys have been extensively used in the automotive and marine industry due to the advantages of low density, high strength to weight ratio and good corrosion resistance. Major challenge of their application lies in the ability to form deep-drawing shapes. Superplastic Forming is widely used to produce this type of parts. However, high forming cycle time due to the low forming strain rate limits their wide application. The present dissertation focuses on hot forming strategies to produce deep drawing parts from AA5383 aluminum thin sheets. The main objective is to reduce the forming time without sacrificing the part integrity. Firstly, the hot deformation behavior of the AA5383 alloy is experimentally characterized. An experimental campaign, including uniaxial tension, notched tension, shear and free bulging tests, is performed to cover an important range of temperatures (623~723 K) and strain rates (10-4~10-1 s-1). Then, the material models, such as a composite flow rule with the BBC2003 anisotropic yield criterion and the modified Mohr-Coulomb damage criterion, are developed and implemented in ABAQUS by using user subroutine. Finally, the numerical simulations of the gas forming processes are performed and compared with the corresponding experimental results.

Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit dem Formänderungsvermögen von Al-Mg-Verbunden. Diese hybriden Verbunde wurden mittels hydrostatischem Strangpressen hergestellt und sind gekennzeichnet durch eine stoffschlüssige Verbindung basierend auf einer intermetallischen Phase. Basis der Untersuchungen waren die experimentellen Analysen der grundlegenden Hauptumformarten des Schmiedens Stauchen, Breiten und Steigen, um eine umfassende Charakterisierung der Umformbarkeit derartiger hybrider Verbunde zu gewährleisten. Dabei erfolgte die Herleitung von geeigneten Umformgesenken, der Aufbau eines Experimentierfeldes sowie die Definition der Variationsparameter. Die experimentellen Methoden wurden zweckmäßig mit numerischen Methoden ergänzt, um die Problemstellung umfassend zu analysieren. Bei den Untersuchungen wurde die belastungsabhängige Umformbarkeit der hybriden Al-Mg-Verbunde, insbesondere der intermetallischen Phasen, festgestellt. Aufgrund der Mikrostruktur verfügen die intermetallischen Phasen über eine Vorzugsrichtung, welche eine Schädigung hauptsächlich in radialer Belastungsrichtung aufweist. Die Schädigung der primären Grenzschicht geschieht durch eine Fragmentierung, wobei sich durch Diffusionsprozesse eine sekundäre Grenzschicht entlang der neuen Kontaktstellen bildet. Durch die Anwendung der numerischen Methoden konnten die maximalen Schubspannungen sowie die Vergleichsumformgrade als bedeutsame Einflussgrößen ermittelt werden. Basierend auf diesen Erkenntnissen erfolgte die Herleitung eines makromechanischen Versagenskriteriums, mit dem innerhalb der numerischen Simulation kritische Bereiche der Grenzschichtschädigung ohne experimentelle Versuche dargestellt werden können. Abschließend wurden Optimierungsstrategien auf Basis der gewonnenen Erkenntnisse abgeleitet. Die Modifikation des Mantel-Kern-Verhältnisses sowie die gezielte Anwendung von Exzentrizitäten bieten die Möglichkeit, anforderungsspezifische maßgeschneiderte hybride Al-Mg-Verbunde zu realisieren. / The presented work describes the extensive studies of the formability of hybrid Al-Mg compounds. These hybrid compounds were produced by a hydrostatic co-extrusion process and can be characterized by an interface consisting of an intermetallic phase. Basis of the studies were experimental analyses of the fundamental forming processes upsetting, spreading and uprising to provide a comprehensive characterization of the formability of such hybrid compounds. Therefore, the development of suitable forging dies, the experimental set-up and the definition of the variation of parameters was carried out. The experimental methods were supported with appropriate numerical methods to analyze the compounds in detail. In the studies, a load direction dependency of the formability of hybrid Al-Mg compounds, especially related to the intermetallic phases was detected. Due to the microstructure of the intermetallic phases, a primarily preferred damage direction in radial load direction, was determined. The damage to the primary interface occurs by a fragmentation mechanism. Due to diffusion processes a secondary interface along the new contact areas was established. The application of numerical methods showed that the maximum shear stresses and the logarithmic equivalent strains were determined as the significant parameters. Based on these scientific findings a macro-mechanical damage model was developed. By means of this model the critical areas of the interface damage can be visualized in the numerical simulation. Finally, based on the scientific findings optimization strategies were derived. The modification of the sleeve-core ratio and the specific application of eccentricity by a new eccentric hydrostatic co-extrusion process allow the full application of such hybrid Al-Mg compounds in the industry.

Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit dem Formänderungsvermögen von Al-Mg-Verbunden. Diese hybriden Verbunde wurden mittels hydrostatischem Strangpressen hergestellt und sind gekennzeichnet durch eine stoffschlüssige Verbindung basierend auf einer intermetallischen Phase. Basis der Untersuchungen waren die experimentellen Analysen der grundlegenden Hauptumformarten des Schmiedens Stauchen, Breiten und Steigen, um eine umfassende Charakterisierung der Umformbarkeit derartiger hybrider Verbunde zu gewährleisten. Dabei erfolgte die Herleitung von geeigneten Umformgesenken, der Aufbau eines Experimentierfeldes sowie die Definition der Variationsparameter. Die experimentellen Methoden wurden zweckmäßig mit numerischen Methoden ergänzt, um die Problemstellung umfassend zu analysieren. Bei den Untersuchungen wurde die belastungsabhängige Umformbarkeit der hybriden Al-Mg-Verbunde, insbesondere der intermetallischen Phasen, festgestellt. Aufgrund der Mikrostruktur verfügen die intermetallischen Phasen über eine Vorzugsrichtung, welche eine Schädigung hauptsächlich in radialer Belastungsrichtung aufweist. Die Schädigung der primären Grenzschicht geschieht durch eine Fragmentierung, wobei sich durch Diffusionsprozesse eine sekundäre Grenzschicht entlang der neuen Kontaktstellen bildet. Durch die Anwendung der numerischen Methoden konnten die maximalen Schubspannungen sowie die Vergleichsumformgrade als bedeutsame Einflussgrößen ermittelt werden. Basierend auf diesen Erkenntnissen erfolgte die Herleitung eines makromechanischen Versagenskriteriums, mit dem innerhalb der numerischen Simulation kritische Bereiche der Grenzschichtschädigung ohne experimentelle Versuche dargestellt werden können. Abschließend wurden Optimierungsstrategien auf Basis der gewonnenen Erkenntnisse abgeleitet. Die Modifikation des Mantel-Kern-Verhältnisses sowie die gezielte Anwendung von Exzentrizitäten bieten die Möglichkeit, anforderungsspezifische maßgeschneiderte hybride Al-Mg-Verbunde zu realisieren. / The presented work describes the extensive studies of the formability of hybrid Al-Mg compounds. These hybrid compounds were produced by a hydrostatic co-extrusion process and can be characterized by an interface consisting of an intermetallic phase. Basis of the studies were experimental analyses of the fundamental forming processes upsetting, spreading and uprising to provide a comprehensive characterization of the formability of such hybrid compounds. Therefore, the development of suitable forging dies, the experimental set-up and the definition of the variation of parameters was carried out. The experimental methods were supported with appropriate numerical methods to analyze the compounds in detail. In the studies, a load direction dependency of the formability of hybrid Al-Mg compounds, especially related to the intermetallic phases was detected. Due to the microstructure of the intermetallic phases, a primarily preferred damage direction in radial load direction, was determined. The damage to the primary interface occurs by a fragmentation mechanism. Due to diffusion processes a secondary interface along the new contact areas was established. The application of numerical methods showed that the maximum shear stresses and the logarithmic equivalent strains were determined as the significant parameters. Based on these scientific findings a macro-mechanical damage model was developed. By means of this model the critical areas of the interface damage can be visualized in the numerical simulation. Finally, based on the scientific findings optimization strategies were derived. The modification of the sleeve-core ratio and the specific application of eccentricity by a new eccentric hydrostatic co-extrusion process allow the full application of such hybrid Al-Mg compounds in the industry.