Effect of twinning on texture evolution of depleted uranium using a viscoplastic self-consistent model

Abstract

Texture evolution of depleted uranium is investigated using a viscoplastic self-consistent model. Depleted uranium, which has the same structure as alpha-uranium, is difficult to model as it has an orthorhombic symmetry structure, as well as many twin systems which must be addressed in order to properly simulate the textural evolution.

The VPSC method allowed for a flexible model which could not only encompass the low symmetry component but also the twinning components of depleted uranium. The model focuses on the viscoplastic regime only, neglecting the elastic regime of deformation, and uses a self-consistent method to solve the model.

Different deformation processes, such as torsion, rolling, and swaging, are simulated and the theoretical textures, plotted as pole figures or inverse pole figures, are compared with previous experimental textures found for alpha uranium from previous experimental sources.

A specific twin system, the (176)[512] system, is also given special consideration. This twin system is a dominant deformation mode for alpha uranium at high strain rates, but is quite elusive in general. Different deformation processes are compared where this twin system is active and not active. This allows comparison on the effect of this twin on the overall texture of depleted uranium. In addition, a sample of depleted uranium from Y12 which was analyzed for (176)[512] twins is compared to theoretical results from a VPSC simulation where the (176)[512] twin is active.