Influence of Loading Directions on Dynamic Compressive Properties of Mill-Annealed Ti-6Al-4V Thick Plate

This paper investigates the influence of loading directions on mechanical performance, damage behavior and failure mechanisms of a mill-annealed Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) alloy thick plate at the strain rate of 2000/s. The plate possesses {11-20} texture and consists of globular α grain, fine equiaxial α grain, α laminate that is parallel to the normal direction (ND) of the plate and grain-boundary β laminate. The yield strength and the flow stress of the plate are not affected by the loading directions, while the fracture strain in ND is 38.2% and 32.2% higher than that in the rolling direction (RD) and the traverse direction (TD). As it is loaded in the RD and TD, the deformation mechanism of the alloy is dislocation slip. However, the deformation mechanisms in ND are dislocation slip and {10-12}<10-1-1> twinning. The activation of {10-12}<10-1-1> twinning could delay the formation of the adiabatic shearing band (ASB). Multiple adiabatic shearing bands (ASBs) form as the compression direction is in the RD and TD. In contrast, as the compression direction is in ND, only one ASB could be observed. The dramatic adiabatic shear could not result in the dynamic recrystallization of the mill-annealed TC4 alloy but could lead to the formation of nano-sized α laminate. The compressive fracture mechanism of the alloy plate is the crack propagation in the main ASB, which is not affected by the loading directions. Here we attribute the superior dynamic failure strain in the ND of the plate to the {10-12}<10-1-1> twinning induced by {11-20}(α) texture, cooperative deformation ability of the α laminate and higher shear strain within the ASB. The findings of our work are instructive for reducing foreign object damage to mill-annealed TC4 alloy fan blades.