Evaluation of AF type cyclic plasticity models in ratcheting simulation of pressurized elbow pipes under reversed bending

The ratcheting behavior was studied experimentally for Z2CND18.12N elbow piping under cyclic bending and steady internal pressure. Dozens of cyclic plasticity models for structural ratcheting responses simulations were used in the paper. The four models, namely, Bilinear (BKH), Multilinear (MKIN/KINH), Chaboche (CH3), were already available in the ANSYS finite element package. Advanced cyclic plasticity models, such as, modified Chaboche (CH4), Ohno-Wang, modified Ohno-Wang, Abdel Karim-Ohno and modified Abdel Karim-Ohno, were implemented into ANSYS for simulating the experimental responses. Results from the experimental and simulation studies were presented in order to demonstrate the state of structural ratcheting response simulation by these models. None of the models evaluated perform satisfactorily in simulating circumferential strain ratcheting response. Further, improvement in cyclic plasticity modeling and incorporation of material and structural features, like time-dependent, temperature-dependent, non-proportional, dynamic strain aging, residual stresses and anisotropy of materials in the analysis would be essential for advancement of low-cycle fatigue simulations of structures.