Identification and analysis of twinning variants during compression of a Mg–Al–Zn alloy

The relationship between grain orientation and twin variant selection during compression of the alloy Mg–3%Al–1%Zn has been investigated, and methods for obtaining such information described. Some important aspects of the observed twinning cannot be accounted for by a simple Schmid factor type parameter. In particular, in grains containing two twin variants, one of the twin variants has a substantially lower Schmid factor than that predicted from such a simple analysis.