Determination of active slip/twinning modes in AZ31 Mg alloy near room temperature

In order to determine the deformation modes in AZ31 magnesium alloy at room temperature, computer simulations of deformation texture development and calculation of formability have been carried out. The simulation results were compared with the measured texture results. Based on agreement between the experiments and simulations the active deformation modes were determined. A Visco Plastic Self Consistent model was employed for the simulation of plastic deformation. Simulations and experiments were performed for different initial textures. The goal of the study was to develop the understanding of deformation texture evolution and its effects on mechanical properties of magnesium, with an ultimate goal of improving room temperature formability of magnesium alloys.