Cyclic hysteresis of AZ31B extrusion under load‐control tests using embedded sensor technology

Abstract

The fatigue behaviour of AZ31B extrusion magnesium alloy under load‐control cyclic test conditions is estimated using a combination of simulation and experimental results. The strain measurement of this asymmetric material is found experimentally using a Fibre Bragg Grating (FBG) sensor during rotating bending tests. Then, to analyse applied stresses in the sample – particularly in the plastic deformation range – the Variable Material Property (VMP) method is employed. Using this simulation method, the hysteresis loops of two critical top and bottom elements of the sample's cross section under different bending moments are obtained. Finally, the strain of the sample during rotating bending, as measured by the embedded FBG sensor, is related to the stresses obtained from the modeling using a mapping function. The hystereses obtained from this combination of the modeling and experimental results are compared with the results of a companion strain‐control pull–push test in which the input strain history was that of measured by the FBG sensor. Observations verify that the stresses of the combined VMP‐FBG hysteresis loops have good compatibility with the stress responses obtained through the experiment. The hybrid model introduced in this work can be employed to capture cyclic hysteresis, and hence estimate the fatigue life, under load‐controlled rotating bending tests.