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Determination of Johnson–Cook Parameters for Cast Aluminum Alloys

Article  in  Journal of Engineering Materials and Technology · July 2014

DOI: 10.1115/1.4027793

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 Determination of Johnson-Cook
Parameters for Cast Aluminum Alloys
Sachin Gupta 1
Dynamic Photo mechanics Laboratory, Mechanical, Industrial & Systems Engineering
92 Upper College Rd, 110 Wales Hall, Kingston, RI 02881
gupsac@my.uri.edu

Sandeep Abotula 2
Dynamic Photo mechanics Laboratory, Mechanical, Industrial & Systems Engineering
92 Upper College Rd, 110 Wales Hall, Kingston, RI 02881
abotula.sandeep@gmail.com

Arun Shukla 3
Dynamic Photo mechanics Laboratory, Mechanical, Industrial & Systems Engineering
92 Upper College Rd, 110 Wales Hall, Kingston, RI 02881
shuklaa@egr.uri.edu
ASME Fellow Member

ABSTRACT
A series of experiments were conducted to determine the Johnson-Cook parameters for three different cast

aluminum alloys, namely A356, A357 and F357. Room temperature compression experiments were

performed under varying rates of loading ranging from 10-3 s-1 to 5000 s-1. High temperature compression

(235 °C and 435 °C) experiments were performed at an average strain rate of 5000 s-1. A Split Hopkinson

Pressure Bar (SHPB) apparatus was utilized in conjunction with an induction coil heating system for

applying dynamic loading at elevated temperatures. In addition, experiments were performed under high

strain rate tensile loading using tensile SHPB apparatus and the fractured specimens were examined under

scanning electron microscope (SEM) to understand the failure modes in these alloys. High-speed

photography was used to capture the chronological progression of the deformation under dynamic tensile

loading. The results indicated that all the three cast aluminum alloys were sensitive to strain rate and

temperature. A356 exhibited the least value of flow stress under both static and dynamic loading

conditions, and the highest elongation before break under dynamic tensile loading. The SEM images of the

4
Corresponding author information: Tel.: +1 401-874-2227; Fax: +1 401-874-2355.
E-mail address: gupsac@my.uri.edu (Sachin Gupta)

1
fractured specimens under dynamic tensile loading showed characteristics of transcrystalline ductile

fracture in these cast aluminum alloys.

INTRODUCTION

Cast aluminum alloys have drawn great attention due to their low cost, excellent

cast ability and resistance to atmospheric corrosion. Among cast aluminum alloys, A356,

A357 and F357 are hypoeutectic Al-Si alloys containing 92% Al, 7% Si, and other

elements (Fe, Cu, Be etc). A356 is the most common alloy for structural casting

applications, and is often used in order to improve flow ability of the melt and interfacial

properties. A357 alloy is similar to A356 alloy, but it has lower magnesium content as

compared to A356 alloy. F357 alloy is a beryllium free variation of A357 alloy. The cast

aluminum alloys are commonly employed in cylinder heads, engine block material, alloy

wheels and housings in automotive parts, and are capable of reducing fabrication costs

effectively.

Several studies in the past have been performed to understand the mechanical

behavior of cast aluminum alloys under quasi-static loadings [1-3] and very few studies

have been focused on the dynamic characterization of cast aluminums [4]. To the best of

authors’ knowledge, there have been no studies reported that involve high temperature

dynamic characterization of cast aluminum alloys. Therefore this technical note focuses

on evaluating the thermo-mechanical behavior of cast aluminum alloys under dynamic

loading and determination of Johnson-Cook material model parameters from the obtained

experimental data.

Experimental Setup and Procedure

In the present study, each experiment was repeated five times for consistency. The

quasi-static compression experiments were performed according to ASTM standard E9-

2
09, using an Instron Materials Testing System-5582 at a strain rate of 10-3 s-1. A Split

Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) apparatus was used to study the dynamic constitutive

behavior of cast aluminum alloys. Incident and transmission bars, made out of maraging

steel, had a diameter of 12.7 mm and a length of 1220.0 mm. A clay pulse shaper of

thickness 2.0 mm was placed at the impact end of the incident bar to improve the force

equilibrium conditions at the specimen-bar interfaces. Molybdenum disulfide and boron

nitride was used as a lubricant between the specimen and the bar interfaces at room and

elevated temperatures, respectively, to minimize friction. Cylindrical specimens, having a

diameter of 6.4 mm and thickness of 3.2 mm were used for all the experiments. Using

one-dimensional wave theory, the engineering stress and engineering strain in the

specimen can be determined from the reflected and transmitted strain pulses respectively

as given in Eqs. 1 and 2.

Ab
σ s = Eb ε t (t )
As (1)

−2cb t
εs = ∫ ε r (t )dt
Ls 0 (2)

where ε i , ε r , ε t are the time-resolved strain values of the incident, reflected and

transmitted pulses respectively, cb is the longitudinal bar wave speed, Eb is the elastic

modulus of the bar material, Ls is the thickness of the specimen, Ab is the cross-sectional

area of the bar and As is the cross-sectional area of the specimen. The further details of

SHPB theory can be obtained from Kolsky [5]. For experiments at elevated temperatures,

the SHPB apparatus in conjunction with the induction coil heating system was utilized.

3
The experimental details for the high temperature setup can be obtained from Abotula et

al. [6].

A tensile SHPB apparatus was utilized to study the three grades of cast aluminum

alloys under dynamic tensile loading. The length of pressure bars (maraging steel) were

1830.0 mm and 1220.0 mm for incident and transmission bars, respectively, with a

common diameter of 19.5 mm. Cylindrical dumb-bell shaped specimens, having gage

diameter of 3.8 mm and length of 5.1 mm were used for dynamic tensile experiments (see

Fig. 1). The dimensions at the gage section were carefully chosen in order to achieve high

strains in the specimen and to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio. A high speed camera

(Photron SA1) was used to capture the dynamic event at a frame rate of 100,000/s with

an image resolution of 320x128.

Johnson-Cook Constitutive Model

According to the model, the flow stress can be written as

  ε p  T − Treference
( A + Bε p n ) 1 + C ln 
σ=   (1 − (T ) ) and T =
* m *
(3)
  ε0  Tmelt − Treference

where σ is the flow stress, A and B are the strain hardening parameters and typically A is

referred as the yield stress at reference strain rate (1 s-1) and at reference temperature (22

°C), C is a dimensionless strain rate hardening coefficient, ε p is the plastic strain, ε p

being the plastic strain rate and ε0 is the reference strain rate. Parameters n and m are

power exponents of the strain hardening and thermal softening terms. Tmelt is the melting

temperature, Treference is the reference temperature, and T is the test temperature.

The quasi-static compression data was used to calculate yield stress ( A ) and

strain hardening parameters ( B and n ). Dynamic experiments for different strain rates at

4
room temperature were used to determine the strain rate sensitivity parameter ( C ).

Experiments performed for different temperatures at constant strain rate were used to

determine the thermal softening coefficient ( m ).

Experimental Results and Discussion

Dynamic Constitutive Response under Compression

The dynamic compressive true stress-strain curves for all the three grades of cast

aluminum at different strain rates and temperatures are shown in Fig 2. It must be noted

that the striker velocity was low for 1000 s-1 experiment, therefore only ~15% strain was

recorded in the experiments. For all the cast aluminum alloys, as shown in Fig. 2, there

was an increase in the value of flow stress under dynamic loading, when compared to

quasi-static loading. For A356 alloy, the increase in the value of flow stress at 5000 s-1

was approximately 18 MPa (4.6 %) with respect to quasi-static loading. Similarly, A357

and F357 alloys showed an increase of 18 MPa (4.0 %) and 36 MPa (7.6 %) respectively,

when the strain rate was increased from 10-3 s-1 to 5000 s-1. Therefore, it can be

concluded that these cast aluminum alloys were sensitive to the strain rate. It was

observed that among the three grades of cast aluminum, F357 showed the highest value

of flow stress and the maximum increase in flow stress under dynamic loading.

The dynamic constitutive response of cast aluminum alloys at elevated

temperatures at an average strain rate of 5000 s-1 is also shown in Fig. 2. At 235 °C, the

flow stress value decreased to approximately 300 MPa for A356 alloy, and at 435 °C, the

flow stress decreased to 140 MPa. Similar trend was also observed for A357 and F357

alloys, also shown in Fig. 2. Johnson-Cook model parameters were determined from the

experimental data and they were listed in Table 1. Fig. 3 shows the comparison of the

5
predicted model stress-strain response and the experimental data for 22 °C, 235 °C, and

435 °C temperatures. There was a good agreement between the model and the

experimental data with a maximum relative error of less than 10% between them for all

the experiments.

Dynamic Constitutive Response under Tension

The dynamic true stress-strain behavior for three grades of cast aluminum at 700

s-1 is shown in Fig. 4. The value of flow stress observed for A356, A357 and F357 was

323 MPa, 365 MPa and 392 MPa respectively. Among the three cast aluminums alloys,

F357 showed the highest flow stress and the least elongation at break.

The real-time deformation for three grades of cast aluminum under dynamic

tensile loading is shown in Fig. 5. At time t = 0 µs, the incident stress wave reached the

specimen and it represents the start of dynamic event. A uniform elastic elongation in the

gage length was observed upto approximately t = 30-40 µs. Specimens continued to

deform after the yielding and a local plastic deformation in the specimen was initiated at

approximately t = 50-60 µs. The formation of neck can be clearly seen for A356

specimen at t = 160 µs, which represents the end of first loading. At this time, the

maximum tensile strain reached within the A356 specimen was 9%. Due to higher brittle

nature of A357 and F357 alloys as compared to A356 alloy, the formation of neck was

not significant and both these specimens failed in the first loading at 8% and 6% tensile

strain respectively. It should be noted that A356 specimen did not fail during the first

loading at 700 s-1.

Fractography & Post-Failure Analysis

6
 Scanning electron micrograph of the fractured surfaces under dynamic tensile

loading is shown in Fig. 6. The micrographs for all the grades of cast aluminum were

similar; therefore a typical fractured fracture surface for A357 alloy is shown in Fig. 6.

The micrographs indicated that all the cast aluminum specimens failed by transcrystalline

fracture. Although the specimens did not exhibit classical cup-cone ductile fracture, the

dimpled fracture surface indicates a ductile fracture of cast aluminum alloys under high

strain rate tensile loading. Low magnification micrographs (100X) were studied under

Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to distinguish the different phases present

in the fracture surface. The fracture surface comprises of two different fracture regions: i)

Low silicon region (denoted by 2 and 3 in Fig. 6a) ii) High silicon region (denoted by 1

and 4 in Fig. 6a). Low silicon region shows a flatter surface as compared to silicon rich

areas. It can be explained with the nucleation sites’ count in these two regions. The high

silicon content corresponds to high number of micro-voids/nucleation sites resulting into

a ductile fracture with a dimpled surface evolving from the micro-voids. The flat surface

containing less silicon corresponds to few nucleation sites resulting in a less ductile or

semi brittle fracture. The higher magnification micrographs (500X) show the presence of

micro-cracks in the fracture surface in the cast aluminum alloys.

Conclusions

• All cast aluminum alloys were sensitive to strain rate and the dynamic flow stress

under compression was approximately 4-8% higher than the quasi-static flow

stress value.

• A356 exhibited the lowest dynamic yield strength when compared to A357 and

F357 alloys under dynamic compression/tension loadings.

7
• The tensile failure strain observed for A356, A357 and F357 was 13%, 8% and

6% respectively.

• The Johnson-Cook parameters were determined for all the three cast aluminum

alloys and the predicted plastic response was in good agreement with the

experimental data.

• The SEM images of the fractured specimens under dynamic tensile loading

exhibited a dimpled structure, a characteristic of transcrystalline ductile fracture

in cast aluminum alloys.

8
Acknowledgment

The authors would like to acknowledge the help of Mr. Najarian Sarkis from

Textron Corporation for providing the material used in this study.

9
References

1. Möller, H., Govender, G., Stumpf, W. E., and Pistorius, P. C., 2008, "Comparison of

Heat Treatment Response of Semisolid Metal Processed Alloys A356 and F357," Int. J.

Cast. Met. Res, 23(10), pp. 37-43.

2. Möller, H., Stumpf, W. E., and Pistorius, P. C., 2010, "Influence of Elevated Fe, Ni

and Cr Levels on Tensile Properties of SSM-HPDC Al-Si-Mg Alloy F357," T. Nonferr.

Met. Soc, Supplement 3(0), pp. 842-846.

3. Pantelakis, Sp. G., Alexopoulos, N. D., and Chamos, A. N., 2007, "Mechanical

Performance Evaluation of Cast Magnesium Alloys for Automotive and Aeronautical

Applications," J. Eng. Mater. Technol, 129(3), pp. 422-430.

4. Tucker, M. T., Horstemeyer, M. F., Whittington, W. R., Solanki, K. N., and Gullett, P.

M., 2010, "The Effect of Varying Strain Rates and Stress States on the Plasticity,

Damage, and Fracture of Aluminum Alloys," Mech. Mater, 42(10), pp. 895-907.

5. Kolsky H., 1949, "An Investigation of the Mechanical Properties of Materials at very

High Rates of Loading," Proc. Phys. Soc. Sec. B, 62(11), pp. 676-700.

6. Abotula, S., Shukla, A., and Chona, R., 2011, "Dynamic Constitutive Behavior of

Hastelloy X under Thermo-Mechanical Loading" J. Mater. Sci. 46(14), pp. 4971-4979.

10
 Table Caption List

Table 1 Johnson-Cook material model parameters for A356, A357, and F357 cast

aluminum alloys

11
 Figure Captions List

Fig. 1 Schematic of tensile SHPB specimen

Fig. 2 True compressive stress-strain curves for three grades of cast aluminum

alloys for different strain rates and temperatures (a) A356 (b) A357 (c)

F357

Fig. 3 Comparison of experimental data and Johnson-Cook model for cast

aluminum alloys (a) A356 (b) A357 (c) F357

Fig. 4 True tensile stress-strain curves for three grades of cast aluminum alloys

under dynamic loading at an average strain rate of 700 s-1

Fig. 5 Real-time deformations of cast aluminum alloy under dynamic tensile

loading at an average strain rate of 700 s-1

Fig. 6 SEM images for A357 under dynamic tensile loading at an average strain

rate of 700 s-1(a) low magnification (100X) (b) high magnification (500X)

12
Table 1

A356 A357 F357

A 270 MPa 313 MPa 319 MPa
B 155 MPa 184 MPa 203 MPa
n 0.28 0.27 0.27
C 0.018 0.014 0.022
m 1.43 1.55 1.55
Tmelt 557°C 557°C 557°C

13
Fig. 1
 

 
D 3/8”-16
 

L2 L3 L2

L1

D (Diameter) = 3.8 mm
L1 = 38.1 mm
L2 = 14.2 mm
L3 (Gage length) = 5.1 mm
Fig. 2
 

  600 600 -1
600
Quasi-static (22C)
-1
1000s (22C) Quasi-static (22C) 1000s (22C)
-1 -1
-1
5000s (22C)
-1
5000s (235C) 5000s (22C) 5000s (235C)
500 -1
5000s (435C) 500 -1
5000s (435C) 500
True Stress (MPa)

True Stress (MPa)

True Stress (MPa)
 
400 400 400

300 300 300

 
200 200 200

  100 100 100 Quasi-static (22C)

-1 -1
-1
1000s (22C)
5000s (22C) 5000s (235C)
-1
5000s (435C)
0 0 0
  0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
True Strain (%) True Strain (%) True Strain (%)
(a) (b) (c)
 

 
Fig. 3
 
600 -1 -1
600 600
5000s (22C Exp) 5000s (22C Model)

  500
-1
5000s (235C Exp)
-1
5000s (435C Exp)
-1
5000s (235C Model)
-1
5000s (435C Model) 500 500

True Stress (MPa)

True Stress (MPa)

True Stress (MPa)

400 400 400

 
300 300 300

  200 200 200

-1 -1 -1 -1
100 100 5000s (22C Exp) 5000s (22C Model) 100 5000s (22C Exp) 5000s (22C Model)
-1 -1 -1 -1
5000s (235C Exp) 5000s (235C Model) 5000s (235C Exp) 5000s (235C Model)
  0 0
-1
5000s (435C Exp)
-1
5000s (435C Model)
0
-1
5000s (435C Exp)
-1
5000s (435C Model)

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
True Plastic Strain (%) True Plastic Strain (%) True Plastic Strain (%)
 
(a) (b) (c)
 

 
 

 
Fig. 4
 
   
500

  400

True Stress (MPa)

300
 
200

  100
-1
A356 (700 s )
-1
A357 (700 s )
-1
F357 (700 s )
0
  0 2 4 6 8 10
True Strain (%)
 

 
Fig. 5
 

   

A356
  0 µs 40 µs 80 µs 120 µs 160 µs

 
A357
  0 µs 30 µs 60 µs 90 µs 120 µs
F357

 
0 µs 30 µs 60 µs 90 µs 120 µs
 

   

 
 

 
 Fig. 6
 

 
Semi Brittle Fracture Ductile Fracture
  (3% Silicon) (9% Silicon) Micro-cracks

   

 
Dimpled Structures
 
(a) (b)
 

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