Measured and predicted intergranular strains in textured austenitic steel

Tensile specimens were machined from heat-treated austenitic stainless steel plate prior to and after 70% reduction by uni-directional rolling. In addition to a single specimen cut from the as-received plate, two specimens were cut from the rolled plate, with axes parallel and perpendicular to the rolling direction, respectively. In situ measurements of the strain response of multiple hkl lattice planes to an applied uniaxial tensile load were made using neutron diffraction, to macroscopic plastic strains of around 1%. The experimental results are compared with predictions from a self-consistent Hill–Hutchinson model. The measured texture in the plate was approximately three times random; however, its effect on the hkl response was small compared to the residual strains left by rolling. The apparent elastic modulus of the planes is affected by the residual strains, which is attributed to the effect of micro-plasticity. Interpretation of residual stress measurements, for both single peak and Rietveld measurements is considered in light of these results.