Numerical study of plastic strain localization in aluminum single crystals compressed along [001]-axis

This paper deals with numerical investigations of the deformation behavior of aluminum single crystals subjected to compression along [001] direction. A three-dimensional crystal plasticity model was implemented in the finite-element simulations for single crystals with {100} and {110} surface planes. Two sets of calculations were performed to examine features of plastic strain localization in plastically perfect and strain-hardened crystals. The strain localization patterns were much more pronounced in the former case. The orientations of the macroscopic shear bands were found to coincide with the orientations of one of the active slip systems. Several distinct deformation stages associated with the plastic strain evolution on the micro- and macroscales were revealed in the calculations.