Prediction of tri-modal microstructure under complex thermomechanical processing history in isothermal local loading forming of titanium alloy

To control the tri-modal microstructure and performance,a prediction model of tri-modal microstructure in the isothermal local loading forming of titanium alloy was developed.The staged isothermal local loading experiment on TA15alloy indicates that there exist four important microstructure evolution phenomena in the development of tri-modal microstructure,i.e.,the generation of lamellarα,content variation of equiaxedα,spatial orientation change of lamellarαand globularization of lamellarα.Considering the laws of these microstructure phenomena,the microstructure model was established to correlate the parameters of tri-modal microstructure and processing conditions.Then,the developed microstructure model was integrated with finite element(FE)model to predict the tri-modal microstructure in the isothermal local loading forming.Its reliability and accuracy were verified by the microstructure observation at different locations of sample.Good agreements between the predicted and experimental results suggest that the developed microstructure model and its combination with FE model are effective in the prediction of tri-modal microstructure in the isothermal local loading forming of TA15alloy.

Risk Analysis of Breakwater Caisson Under Wave Attack Using Load Surface Approximation

A new load surface based approach to the reliability analysis of caisson-type breakwater is proposed. Uncertainties of the horizontal and vertical wave loads acting on breakwater are considered by using the so-called load surfaces, which can be estimated as functions of wave height, water level, and so on. Then, the first-order reliability method（FORM） can be applied to determine the probability of failure under the wave action. In this way, the reliability analysis of breakwaters with uncertainties both in wave height and in water level is possible. Moreover, the uncertainty in wave breaking can be taken into account by considering a random variable for wave height ratio which relates the significant wave height to the maximum wave height. The proposed approach is applied numerically to the reliability analysis of caisson breakwater under wave attack that may undergo partial or full wave breaking.

Unequal-thickness billet optimization in transitional region during isothermal local loading forming of Ti-alloy rib-web component using response surface method

Avoiding the folding defect and improving the die filling capability in the transitional region are desired in isothermal local loading forming of a large-scale Ti-alloy rib-web component（LTRC）. To achieve a high-precision LTRC, the folding evolution and die filling process in the transitional region were investigated by 3 D finite element simulation and experiment using an equal-thickness billet（ETB）. It is found that the initial volume distribution in the second-loading region can greatly affect the amount of material transferred into the first-loading region during the second-loading step, and thus lead to the folding defect. Besides, an improper initial volume distribution results in non-concurrent die filling in the cavities of ribs after the second-loading step, and then causes die underfilling. To this end, an unequal-thickness billet（UTB） was employed with the initial volume distribution optimized by the response surface method（RSM）. For a certain eigenstructure, the critical value of the percentage of transferred material determined by the ETB was taken as a constraint condition for avoiding the folding defect in the UTB optimization process,and the die underfilling rate was considered as the optimization objective. Then, based on the RSM models of the percentage of transferred material and the die underfilling rate, non-folding parameter combinations and optimum die filling were achieved. Lastly, an optimized UTB was obtained and verified by the simulation and experiment.

Lateral aerodynamic performance and speed limits of double-deck container vehicles with different structures

Based on 3D, steady N-S equations and k-e turbulence model, Fluent was employed to do numerical simulation for lateral aerodynamic performance of 6-axis X2K double-deck container trains with two different loading forms, and speed limits of the freight trains were studied. The result indicates that under wind environment： 1） As for vehicles without and with cross-loaded structure, aero-pressure on the former is bigger, but air velocity around the latter is larger; 2） When sideslip angle θ=0°, the airflow is symmetry about train vertical axis; when θ〉0°, the airflow is detached at the top of vehicles, and the air velocity increases above the separated line but decreases below it; 3） With θ increasing, the lateral force on the mid vehicle firstly increases but decreases as θ=75°; 4） When the 6-axis X2K fiat car loads empty boxes of a 40 ft and a 48 ft at 120 km/h, the overturning wind speed is 25.19 m/s, and the train should be stopped under the 12th grade wind speed.

Improving the process forming limit considering forming defects in the transitional region in local loading forming of Ti-alloy rib-web components

The isothermal local loading forming technology provides a feasible way to form Ti-alloy large-scale rib-web components in aerospace and aviation fields.However,the local loading process forming limit is restricted by forming defects in the transitional region.In this work,the feasibility of controlling forming defects and improving the process forming limit by adjusting die parameters is explored through finite element（FE） simulation.It is found that the common cavum and folding defects in the transitional region are significantly influenced by the fillet radii of left rib and middle rib,respectively.The cavum and folding defects can be effectively controlled by increasing the fillet radii of left rib and middle rib,respectively.The process forming limits considering forming defects in the transitional region are determined by the stepwise searching method under various die parameters.Moreover,the relationship between the process forming limit and die parameters is developed through the response surface methodology（RSM）.The developed RSM models suggest that increasing the fillet radii of left and middle ribs is effective to improve the process forming limit during local loading forming of rib-web components.The results will provide technical basis for the design of die parameters and the reduction amount,which is of great importance to control forming defects and improve the process forming limit in local loading forming of Ti-alloy large-scale rib-web components.

Aerodynamic drag analysis of double-deck container vehicles with different structures

To study the aerodynamic performance of a new six-axis X2K double-deck container vehicle, numerical simulation was done based on three-dimensional, steady Navier-Stokes equations and k-e turbulence model. The results show that the pressure on the front surface of vehicle is positive, and others are negative. The maximum negative one appears as a ＂gate＂ shape on front surfaces. The pressure on vehicle increases with train speed, and pressure on vehicles with cross-loaded structure is smaller than that without it. The airflow around vehicles is symmetrical about train vertical axis, and the flow velocity decreases gradually along the axis to ground. Airflow around vehicles with cross-loaded structure is weaker than that without the structure. The aerodynamic drag increases linearly with the train speed, and it is minimum for the mid-vehicle. The linear coefficient for mid-vehicle without cross-loaded structure is 29.75, nearly one time larger than that with the structure valued as 15.425. So, from the view-point of aerodynamic drag, the cross-loaded structure is more reasonable for the six-axis X2K double-deck container vehicle.

Sensitivity Analysis of Effect Related with Material Process and Assembly Variations to Loads Deformation and Stress on HSS Stamping Die

During stamping process, the material properties, process design parameters and production environments inevitably have variation and noisy factors, which possibly affect the sheet metal formability and the deformation of the die structure.After gaining a success in applying sheet metal forming numerical simulation analysis to get the forming loads during stamping process, a methodology of die structure analysis based on sheet metal forming simulation was proposed and validated by experiments.Based on these results, the effect related with initial blank thickness, blank holder force, blank positioning error and die alignment error variations to a DP600 hyperbolic bottomed cup drawing die's forming loads(especially unbalanced loads), and deformation and stress was studied numerically.The influence level of these variations to the die's forming loads, deformation and stress was disclosed.The findings can guide die design, die tryout and process control for high-strength steel(HSS) stamping with increased forming load and decreased sheet metal formability.

Robust optimization of the billet for isothermal local loading transitional region of a Ti-alloy rib-web component based on dual-response surface method

Billet optimization can greatly improve the forming quality of the transitional region in the isothermal local loading forming （ILLF） of large-scale Ti-alloy ribweb components. However, the final quality of the transitional region may be deteriorated by uncontrollable factors, such as the manufacturing tolerance of the preforming billet, fluctuation of the stroke length, and friction factor. Thus, a dual-response surface method （RSM）-based robust optimization of the billet was proposed to address the uncontrollable factors in transi- tional region of the ILLF. Given that the die underfilling and folding defect are two key factors that influence the forming quality of the transitional region, minimizing the mean and standard deviation of the die underfilling rate and avoiding folding defect were defined as the objective function and constraint condition in robust optimization. Then, the cross array design was constructed, a dual-RSM model was established for the mean and standard deviation of the die underfilling rate by considering the size parameters of the billet and uncontrollable factors. Subsequently, an optimum solution was derived to achieve the robust optimization of the billet. A case study on robust optimization was conducted. Good results were attained for improving the die filling and avoiding folding defect, suggesting that the robust optimization of the billet in the transitional region of the ILLF was efficient and reliable.

Evaluation of dry-in-place lubricants for cold forging by using an optimal steady combined forward and backward extrusion testing method

This study evaluated dry-in-place lubricants used for cold forging.A group of isothermal compression tests with a strain rate(ε)e&range of 0.001–1 s^(−1) and temperature(T)range of 30–400℃ were completed.The flow stress(σ)curves of annealed steel S45C were obtained,and a corresponding Hensel–Spittel model was developed to support finite element(FE)simulation.The sensitivity of the steady combined forward and backward extrusion(SCFBE)test proposed in another study was improved by approximately 20%after it was optimized using the results of the FE simulations.Key parameters were identified,and the calibration curves after optimization were obtained.On the basis of the optimized test,a friction testing setup with a heating system was developed,in which the die temperature could be adjusted from room temperature(RT)to 230℃.Three dry-in-place lubricants and conventional phosphating lubricant were tested,and the friction factors(m),forming loads,and ejection loads were measured.The surface features of the specimens after testing were also investigated.According to the testing results,of the three tested dry-in-place lubricants,the mica type was the best.In addition,the optimized friction testing design was verified as effective.