Aspects of testpiece design responsible for errors in cyclic plasticity experiments

A uniaxial cyclic plasticity copper testpiece has been simulated, using continuum damage mechanics based finite element program Damage XX, under conditions of cyclic plasticity at temperatures of 20 °C and 500 °C. Inhomogeneous fields of strain and stress are generated in the gage length region of the testpiece, which results from standard cyclic plasticity testpiece features: the blend radius linking testpiece shank and gage length, and the extensometer ridges. Cracks were present at the extensometer ridges at temperatures 20 °C and 500 °C. The formation and growth within the gage length region was accurately predicted.