Homogeneity and heterogeneity in channel-die compressed Al–1%Mn single crystals: Considerations on the activity of the slip systems

Single crystals of Al–1%Mn of various orientations were compressed in channel-die at room temperature. To assess their mechanical behaviour, microgrids were deposited on the lateral faces and the reactions against the walls of the channel-die were measured by a specially designed appliance. The microgrids reveal the local heterogeneities of the deformation and help to assess the activity of the slip systems. At large deformations, this activity was found to vary much from one spot of investigation to the other. So, among the material descriptions used to predict the onset of heterogeneities, the authors favour those which take into account separately the contribution of each slip system, and this is possible with certain piecewise linear stress-rate/strain-rate relations.