A Computational Investigation into the Effect of Equal Channel Angular Processing on the Mechanical Properties of Severely Deformed ZK 60 Alloy Validated by Experiments

In this study, the response surface method and finite-element analysis were employed to model the ECAP processing for biodegradable magnesium alloy ZK 60 behavior at 250°C. Using Finite-Element (FE) analysis data was extracted and compared to the what was found by experimenting in order to investigate the effects of the ECAP processing parameters on the plastic deformation behavior of the ECAPed samples. The effective strain and stresses as a function of the number of passes were investigated. Hardness contour maps perpendicular to ECAP direction were plotted. Compressive properties of the billets were also examined. The FE analysis revealed that the maximum stresses were displayed at the corner and peripheral areas compared to the central areas. Moreover, straining through two passes of route Bc displayed maximum effective strain of 2.75 recorded in the top peripheral regions, whereas the central regions displayed 1.25. In addition, ECAP processing via 2-Bc correlated with rises in Hv values in the samples peripheries by 125.4% respectively, when compared with the as-annealed conditions. The compression findings showed also significant enhancement of the compressive strength compared to the as-annealed counterparts.