Experimental Investigation of Key Process Parameters During Continuous-Bending-Under-Tension of AA6022-T4

Continuous-Bending-Under-Tension (CBT) is an experimental technique that has been shown to increase elongation-to-fracture by over 100% in aluminum alloys and over 300% in steel as compared to uniaxial tensile tests [1]. This procedure is a modified form of a tensile test in which a specimen experiences 3 point plastic bending, induced by traversing 3 rollers back and forth over the gauge length, while simultaneously being pulled in tension. This process is able to delay the occurrence of necking in pure tension by suppressing the instability. Thus, significantly more elongation is achieved in the specimen prior to fracture. In this paper, an experimental investigation of key process parameters, i.e., bending depth and pulling speed, during CBT testing of AA6022-T4 is presented. The load cycle during a CBT test will also be discussed along with the strain induced throughout the gauge length.