Pre-yield and localized deformation band nucleation in a strain-aging low-carbon steel

Abstract

The features of plastic flow during tensile deformation of 08G2B steel samples exhibiting the effect of strain aging are studied by means of the digital image correlation method. Standard flat samples cut out from a sheet made by controlled rolling are tested for tensile strength after heat treatment according to the following conditions: 680 °C, holding time of 30 min, air cooling. It is shown that, at the stage of macroelastic deformation, there occur both diffuse plastic flow in separate parts of the sample under tension and the emergence of a nucleus center in the near-surface region, wherefrom a localized deformation band nucleus subsequently grows.