Simulation of PLC Effect Using Regularized Large-Strain Elasto-Plasticity

The purpose of this paper is to develop a constitutive description and to numerically simulate a propagating instability phenomenon called the Portevin–Le Chatelier (PLC) effect, which is observed for metallic materials. It manifests itself by moving plastic shear bands in the sample and serrations in the stress–strain diagram. In this paper, the PLC is modeled by geometrically non-linear thermo-visco-plasticity with the hardening function of the Estrin–McCormick type to reproduce a serrated response. To regularize softening, which in this model comes from thermal, geometrical and strain-rate effects, the viscosity and heat conductivity are incorporated. Plasticity description can additionally include degradation of the yield strength, and then the model is enhanced by higher-order gradients. Simulations are performed using AceGen/FEM. Two tensioned specimens are tested: a rod and a dog-bone sample. The first specimen is used for general verification. The results obtained for the second specimen are compared with the experimental results. Studies for different values of model parameters are performed. The results of the simulations are in good agreement with the experimental outcome and the sensitivity to model parameters is in line with the expectations for the pre-peak regime. In the presented tests, the gradient enhancement does not significantly influence the results.