Cyclic plasticity model with multiplicative backstress decomposition

The challenge of developing a generalized mathematical pattern to describe the plastic behaviour of metals, lead researchers to propose various constitutive models, especially in the field of cyclic plasticity, where phenomena with particular importance to low cycle fatigue, appear. This study proposes the use of a plasticity model based on the Armstrong & Frederick kinematic hardening rule. The concept of the backstress additive decomposition, as suggested by Chaboche, is altered in this model and performed in a multiplicative way. Emphasis was given in achieving maximum simplicity in defining the model's parameters. Numerical application of the model was executed for the simulation of steel SS 304 ratcheting response. Examination of the derived results indicates that the current modelling methodology can perform quite well in fitting uniaxial experimental data, and has the potential to simulate successfully multiaxial loading data, an issue to be addressed in other works.