Creep Experiments Under Nonproportional Loadings With Stress Reversals for 2618 Aluminum

Abstract

Experiments on creep of 2618-T61 aluminum under nonproportional loading steps combined with shear stress reversals, are reported. Compared to previous work, the stress levels, under which nonproportional loading steps were performed, were relatively low in the current work. In addition to the features of the material responses under nonproportional loadings such as anisotropy induced by creep strain, synergistic effects on creep and creep recovery, more findings related to stress reversals were a cyclic softening effect. The effect of shear stress reversal on tension creep was not significant because of the low stress levels. Isotropic strain hardening, kinematic hardening and independent strain hardening theories were evaluated. An auxiliary rule was developed for the isotropic and independent strain hardening approaches to extend the capabilities of the theories. Creep under stress reversals predicted by the kinematic flow rule was well described at low stresses but was too exagerated at high stress levels.