An extended Modified Maximum Force Criterion for the prediction of localized necking under non-proportional loading

Strain localization is one of the main sources of failure in sheet forming processes. State of the art forming limit curves allow the prediction of localization for linear strain paths but fall short in case of non-proportional loading. The aim of this contribution is to revisit the Modified Maximum Force Criterion (MMFC) and extend it to accommodate distortional hardening models. This is accomplished by uncoupling its formulation from any particular yield function and thus enabling its use as a generic framework for the prediction of forming limits under arbitrary loading conditions. Furthermore a novel approach is proposed for considering strain rate sensitivity, which substantially improves the predictive capabilities of the model under plane strain tension conditions. The method is applied to steel and aluminum materials and the role of phenomena such as Bauschinger effect, latent hardening and cross-loading contraction on localization are discussed. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.