Institute of Fundamental Technological Research

The quasi-static and high strain rate compressive behavior of Gum Metal with composition Ti-36Nb-2Ta-3Zr-0.3O (wt pct) has been investigated using an electromechanical testing machine and a split Hopkinson pressure bar, respectively. The stress–strain curves obtained for Gum Metal tested under monotonic and dynamic loadings revealed a strain-softening effect which intensified with increasing strain rate. Moreover, the plastic flow stress was observed to increase for both static and dynamic loading conditions with increasing strain rate. The microstructural characterization of the tested Gum Metal specimens showed particular deformation mechanisms regulating the phenomena of strain hardening and strain softening, namely an adiabatic shear band formed at ~ 45 deg with respect to the loading direction as well as widely spaced deformation bands (kink bands). Dislocations within the channels intersecting with twins may cause strain hardening while recrystallized grains and kink bands with crystal rotation inside the grains may lead to strain softening. A constitutive description of the compressive behavior of Gum Metal was proposed using a modified Johnson–Cook model. Good agreement between the experimental and the numerical data obtained in the work was achieved.