In this paper, the microstructural and texture changes in polycrystalline CuZn30 alloy, copper, and AA1050 aluminium alloy have been studied to describe the crystal lattice rotation during shear bands formation. The hat-shaped specimens were deformed using a drop-hammer at the strain rate of 560 s ^–1. Microstructure evolution was investigated using optical microscopy, whereas texture changes were examined with the use of a scanning electron microscope equipped with the EBSD facility. The microstructural observations were correlated with nanohardness measurements to evaluate the mechanical properties of the sheared regions. The analyses demonstrate the gradual nature of the shear banding process, which can be described as a mechanism of the bands nucleation and then successive growth rather than as an abrupt instability. It was found that regardless of the initial orientation of the grains inside the sheared region, a well-defined tendency of the crystal lattice rotation is observed. This rotation mechanism leads to the formation of specific texture components of the sheared region, different from the one observed in a weakly or non-deformed matrix. During the process of rotation, one of the {111} planes in each grain of the sheared region ‘tends’ to overlap with the plane of maximum shear stresses and one of the <110> or <112> directions align with the shear direction. This allows slip propagation through the boundaries between adjacent grains without apparent change in the shear direction. Finally, in order to trace the rotation path, transforming the matrix texture components into shear band, rotation axis and angles were identified.

An optical measurement method of radial displacement of a ring sample during its expansion with velocity of the order 172 m/s and estimation technique of plastic flow stress of a ring material on basis of the obtained experimental data are presented in the work. To measure the ring motion during the expansion process, the Phantom v12 digital high-speed camera was applied, whereas the specialized TEMA Automotive software was used to analyze the obtained movies. Application of the above-mentioned tools and the developed measuring procedure of the ring motion recording allowed to obtain reliable experimental data and calculation results of plastic flow stress of a copper ring with satisfactory accuracy.

The article presents the results of investigation of ultra-strength nanostructured bainitic steel Fe-0.6%C-1.9%Mn-1.8%Si-1.3%Cr-0.7%Mo (in wt. %) subjected to shear and uniaxial compression under high strain rate loading. Steel of microstructure consisted of carbide-free bainite and carbon enriched retained austenite presents a perfect balance of mechanical properties especially strength to toughness ratio. Two retained austenite morphologies exist which controlled ductility of the steel: film between bainite laths and separated blocks. It is well established that the strain induced transformation of carbon enriched retained austenite to martensite takes place during deformation. Shear localisation has been found to be an important and often dominant deformation and fracture mode in high-strength steels at high strain rate. Deformation tests were carried out using Gleeble simulator and Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar. Shear and compression strength were determined and toughness and crack resistance were assessed. Susceptibility of nanostructured bainitic steel to the formation of adiabatic shear bands (ASBs) and conditions of the bands formation were analysed. The results suggest that the main mechanism of hardening and failure at the dynamic shearing is local retained austenite transformation to high-carbon martensite which preceded ASBs formation. In the area of strain localization retained austenite transformed to fresh martensite and then steel capability to deformation and strengthening decreases.

The flow behavior of 7175 aluminum alloy was modeled with Arrhenius-type constitutive equations using flow stress curves during a hot compression test. Compression tests were conducted at three different temperatures (250°C, 350°C, and 450°C) and four different strain rates (0.005, 0.05, 0.5, and 5 s−1). A good consistency between measured and set values in the experimental parameters was shown at strain rates of 0.005, 0.05, and 0.5 s−1, while the measured data at 5 s−1 showed the temperature rise of the specimen, which was attributable to deformation heat generated by the high strain rate, and a fluctuation in the measured strain rates. To minimize errors in the fundamental data and to overcome the limitations of compression tests at high strain rates, constitutive equations were derived using flow curves at 0.005, 0.05, and 0.5 s−1 only. The results indicated that the flow stresses predicted according to the derived constitutive equations were in good agreement with the experimental results not only at strain rates of 0.005, 0.05, and 0.5 s−1 but also at 5 s−1. The prediction of the flow behavior at 5 s−1 was correctly carried out by inputting the constant strain rate and temperature into the constitutive equation.