Approximate Model of the Necking Behaviour and Application to the Void Growth Prediction

Stress distributions at the minimum cross section of axisymmetric specimens undergoing necking are determined using an approximate method recently developed by the authors. This method is briefly presented, then applied to experimental data from tensile tests of ductile metals, available in the literature. The stress triaxiality distributions across the necked section so evaluated are used to predict the void growth according to the model by Rice and Tracey. The resulting damage evolution as well as the above stress and triaxiality distributions are finally compared with results from finite element simulations as well as with experimental damage measurements.