Reproducing hoop stress-strain behavior for tubular material using lateral compression test

Identification of material properties in the hoop direction, such as stress-strain behavior, is essential in tube hydroforming processes. Conventional tests such as uniaxial tension and compression tests have some drawbacks and limitations. In the current investigations a simple technique to identify the stress-strain behavior in the hoop direction for tubular material is introduced, based on the experimental data obtained from tube lateral compression test. In the proposed technique, an assumed stress-strain curve is used in finite element simulation to predict the load deflection curve of the tube lateral compression. An iterative algorithm is used to compare the calculated and experimental load deflection curves until a good agreement with a percentage deviation less than 4% is obtained. The suggested technique was used to obtain the material properties of Cu-40%Zn brass tube. The predicted stress-strain curve was compared with that obtained from uniaxial compression test. Comparison between the experimental and predicted stress-strain curve showed that the proposed technique is effective in the prediction of the material properties from the tube lateral compression test with percentage deviation less than 1%. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.