Three-dimensional crystal plasticity and HR-EBSD analysis of the local stress-strain fields induced during twin propagation and thickening in magnesium alloys

Present work focuses on analysis of the stress and strain fields inside and around the individual {10–12} twin in magnesium alloy. The 3D crystal plasticity model represents twin as an ellipsoidal inclusion surrounded by the matrix. Five different twin thicknesses and three different lateral twin lengths are used for stress/strain analysis. The simulations are complemented with experimental observations using high-resolution electron backscattered diffraction. The simulations and experiments show a similar distribution of the shear stress and the spatial activity of individual slip systems (basal, prismatic, pyramidal). Plasticity induced inside the twin is dominantly caused by the prismatic dislocations slip and does not influence twin back stress which is identical to pure elastic twin. The twin with larger lateral dimension requires lower equilibrium stress which suggests anisotropic twin propagation and increased thickness of such twins. The lateral twin propagation is mostly influenced by prismatic and pyramidal slip in the twin vicinity. The twin thickness can reach a maximal level that is driven by the critical resolved shear stress values for dislocation slip with the significant influence of basal slip.