Modeling of deformation behavior of copper under equal channel angular pressing

The deformation behavior of copper during equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) was calculated using a three-dimensional version of a constitutive model based on the dislocation density evolution. Finite element simulations of the variation of the dislocation density and the dislocation cell size with the number of ECAP passes are reported. The calculated stress, strain and cell size are compared with the experimental data for Cu deformed by ECAP in a modified route-C regime. The results of finite element (FE) analysis were found to be in good agreement with the experiments. After a rapid initial decrease down to about 200 nm in the first ECAP pass, the average cell size was found to change little with further passes. Similarly, the strength increased steeply after the first pass, but tended to saturate with further pressings. The FE simulations also showed strain non-uniformities and the dependence of the resulting strength on the location within the workpiece.