Measurements of plastic localization in polycrystalline materials in relation to 3D microstructure

International audienceTo develop predictive models for monotonic and cyclic loading of polycrystalline metallic alloys, there is a need for quantitative assessment of plastic localization at the nano- and micro- scales. The development of two sets of advanced experiments for measurements of plastic localization will bediscussed. First, the combination of SEM and DIC has emerged as a robust method for quantification of the strain fields at the plastic localization scale.The use of the Heaviside-DIC method provides a unique opportunity to capture quantitatively the plastic localization on large representative fields of view. The second set of experiments employ in-situ Transmission Scanning Electron Microscopy measurements on targeted microstructural configurations to elucidate the effect of microstructure on the dislocation dynamics that accompany strain localization. The combination of these two sets of experiments coupled with the characterization of the 3D microstructure of metallic alloys provides critical information for predictive models of cyclic loading