LIMATB  –  Lab.  For   Institute  of  Frontier  
Engineering  of  Materials     Materials  
   
University  of  South  Brittany   Deakin  University  
Lorient     Geelong  
FRANCE   AUSTRALIA  
 
 
 
 
Prediction of rupture of an anisotropic metallic material
PhD  proposal  starting  in  October  2014  for  3  years  
 
 
The  general  context  of  this  research  work  is  the  virtual  forming  of  metallic  materials,  as  well  as  
the   virtual   design   of   parts   to   predict   their   behavior   during   service   life.   This   virtual   approach  
should  lead  to  a  weight  decrease  of  the  metallic  structures  as  well  as  a  decrease  of  materials  and  
human   costs.   For   example,   the   French   academic   society   AFM   (Association   Française   de  
Mécanique/   French   Association   of   Mechanics)   is   about   to   create   a   dedicated   group   of   both  
academics  and  industrials  to  work  on  “Virtual  Forming”.  
 
There  are  two  main  aims  of  this  works:  (i)  to  build  a  reliable  and  reproducible  database  on  the  
mechanical  behavior  of  metallic  materials  up  to  rupture,  in  particular  that  takes  into  account  the  
anisotropy,  which  is  particularly  influent  on  the  strain  at  rupture  (ii)  to  develop  a  model  based  
on  a  coupling  between  ductile  damage  and  plasticity,  including  a  sophisticated  anisotropic  yield  
model   as   well   as   a   macroscopic   rupture   criterion   that   includes   anisotropy   and   mixed   hardening.  
The  existing  models  are  usually  based  on  the  stress  tensor  invariants,  like  the  stress  triaxiality.  
However,   this   invariant   depends   on   the   hardening   model   and   most   of   the   models   used   isotropic  
hardening,  though  mixed  hardening  (i.e.  involving  kinematic  hardening)  is  very  influent  on  the  
mechanical   behavior   of   metallic   materials.   Moreover,   anisotropy   is   often   neglected   in   rupture  
prediction,  due  to  a  lack  of  models.  The  aim  of  this  work  is  to  propose  such  a  model,  based  on  a  
reliable  experimental.  
 
This   project   should   bring   new   information   on   rupture   of   metallic   materials,   at   a   local   scale,   as  
well  as  a  model  for  rupture  that  takes  into  account  both  anisotropy  and  mixed  hardening.  This  
topic   is   of   huge   interest   for   the   scientific   community.   However,   up   to   now,   such   a   prediction   has  
not  been  published.  From  a  scientific  point  of  view,  expectations  concern  experimental  data  on  
rupture  and  a  model  involving  anisotropy  and  mixed  hardening.  Such  an  approach  should  lead  
to  technological  applications  in  the  field  of  virtual  forming.    
 
The  different  steps  of  this  PhD  works  will  be:  
1) bibliographic  survey  on  the  subject  of  ductile  damage  and  rupture  of  metallic  materials,  
2) collecting  exiting  experimental  data  on  different  materials  like  steels,  aluminium  alloys,  
copper  alloys,  for  sheets  of  several  thicknesses,  
3) obtaining  extra-­‐information  by  performing  mechanical  testing  with  local  strain  measure  
(Digital  Image  Correlation  device)  in  tension,  biaxial  tension,  plane  strain  state,  with  or  
without  a  pre-­‐strain,  
4) selection   of   existing   anisotropic   elasto-­‐plastic   models   involving   a   rupture   criterion   and  
identification  of  material  parameters,  as  well  as  selection  of  a  ductile  damage  model,  in  
order  to  compare  with  the  macroscopic  criterion.  These  models  will  be  implemented  in  a  
commercial  finite  element  code,  
5) improvement  of  the  models  in  order  to  take  into  all  the  specificities  highlighted  from  the  
experiments,  

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 6) validation   on   some   forming   processes,   by   conducting   experiments   and   numerical  
simulations.  
 
The   collaboration   between   Pr.   S.   Thuillier   and   Pr.   J.W   Yoon   is   an   ongoing   one   since   the   end   of  
2011.   This   work   will   further   enhance   such   a   productive   collaboration.   The   PhD   student   is  
expected  to  spend  one  and  a  half  year  in  France  and  one  and  a  half  year  in  Australia.  A  dedicated  
program   sponsored   by   the   French   embassy   in   Australia   is   dedicated   to   the   funding   of   travel  
expenses,  for  scientific  mobility  of  young  researcher  and  co-­‐tutelle  program,  and  an  application  
will  be  made.  A  joint  supervision  agreement  would  be  signed  between  both  universities.  
 
Applicants:  they  should  have  a  strong  knowledge  in  mechanical  engineering  and  a  good  level  in  
English.  
 
To  apply  to  this  PhD  position:  send  CV  and  motivation  letter  and  marks  obtained  for  the  master  
degree  by  email  to  Sandrine  Thuillier  at  sandrine.thuillier@univ-­‐ubs.fr  
 
Joint  references  
[1]   A.   Kacem,   A.   Krichen,   P.Y.   Manach,   S.   Thuillier,   Y.W.   Yoon,   Damage   prediction   in   the   hole-­‐
flanging   process   of   aluminium   alloys,   Engineering   Fracture   Mechanics   99   (2013)   251-­‐265  
Engineering  Fracture  Mechanics  
[2]  P.Y.  Manach,  S.  Thuillier,  Y.W.  Yoon,  J.  Coër,  H.  Laurent,  Kinematics  of  Portevin-­‐Le  Chatelier  
bands  in  simple  shear,  International  Journal  of  Plasticity  58  (2014)  66-­‐83  
[3]   P.Y.   Manach,   J.W.   Yoon,   S.   Thuillier,   J.   Coër,   H.   Laurent,   Kinematics   of   Portevin-­‐Le   Châtelier  
bands  in  simple  shear,  Plasticity’13,  Nassau  (Bahamas)  3-­‐8  janvier  2013  
[4]   S.   Thuillier,   J.W.   Yoon,   P.Y.   Manach,   A.   Mishra,   Macroscopic   rupture   criterion   for   metallic  
sheets  under  various  strain  paths,  Plasticity’13,  Nassau  (Bahamas)  3-­‐8  janvier  2013  
 
 
 
Pr.  Sandrine  THUILLIER   Pr.  Jeong  Whan  YOON  
sandrine.thuillier@univ-­‐ubs.fr    
   
LIMATB  -­‐  Research  center  C.  Huyghens   Institute  for  Frontier  Materials  Geelong  
University  of  South  Brittany   Technology  Precinct  Deakin  University  75  
BP  92116  –  56321  Lorient   Pigdons  Road,  Waurn  Ponds,    Victoria  3216  
France   Australia  
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

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