ABSTRACT
To optimize the design of roll pass schedules and control the mechanical and metallurgical properties of plate rolled aluminium, a thorough knowledge of metal flow and microstructural changes during the multistand hot rolling is necessary. To date, the predictions in rolling of aluminium alloys are limited to the global description of metal flow(effective strain distribution, contact pressure, temperature distribution…) and sometimes consider thermal coupling.
An experimental program to simulate hot rolling of aluminium plates, based on plane strain compression tests has been carried out, associated with an accurate control of grain size and texture. Then, to elaborate predictive models for hot rolling of aluminium alloys, the flow stress has been modelized as a function of the microstructure, strain rate and temperature. The model developed includes microstructural mechanisms such as dynamic recovery. The elasto-viscoplastic constitutive equations deduced from the model have been formulated and implemented in a large strain finite element code using a fully implicit algorithm. The program has been applied to simulate the plane strain compression test and the results obtained have been compared with experimental ones.
