Damage influence on Bauschinger effect of a cast A356 aluminum alloy

The Bauschinger effect is interpreted as anisotropic work hardening that arises upon reverse loading from internal backstresses that are attributed to dislocations accumulating at obstacles. Studies to describe the Bauschinger effect have either focused on continuum mechanics modeling or on analyzing dislocation build-up at a microscopic scale. In continuum mechanics, the focus often is on the relationship of the ratio of kinematic (anisotropic) hardening to isotropic hardening. In materials science, the focus is often on determining mechanisms related to dislocation arrangement. Few have studied both aspects together and fewer yet have considered cast Al-Si-Mg aluminum alloys. To the author`s knowledge, no studies have examined the effect of void damage with regard to second phase particles on the Bauschinger effect for a cast A356 aluminum alloy that was mechanically tested in tension-followed-by-compression and compression-followed-by-tension up to different moderate prestrain levels.