Improved predictive modelling of strain Localisation and ductile fracture in a Ti-6Al-4V alloy subjected to impact loading

Abstract
This paper addresses experimental and numerical modelling aspects of material characterisation process concerning strain localisation and ductile fracture preceding the design of aerospace structures threatened by impact. A holistic approach to predictive modelling of the observed phenomena is presented by outlining the results of uniaxial tensile and compressive testing at different rates of strain. The data obtained from experiments have been used to aid the development of physically based constitutive models capable of predicting the observed strain rate dependent behaviour including the competing volumetric and deviatoric damage mechanisms resulting in different macroscopic modes of ductile fracture of the material under consideration. Inverse modelling has been employed to identify non-measurable constitutive parameters of the proposed numerical model.