STRESS-STRAIN BEHAVIOR OF NITROGEN BEARING AUSTENITIC STAINLESS-STEELS IN THE TEMPERATURE-RANGE 298-473 K

The stress-strain behaviour of three nitrogen-bearing low-nickel auste nitic stainless steels has been investigated via a series of tensile t ests in the temperature range 298-473 K at an initial strain rate of 1 .6 x 10(-5) s(-1). Experimental stress-strain data were analysed emplo ying Rosenbrock's minimization technique in terms of constitutive equa tions proposed by Hollomon, Ludwik, Voce and Ludwigson. Ludwigson's eq uation has been found to describe the flow behaviour accurately, follo wed by Voce's equation. The resultant strain-hardening parameters were analysed in terms of variations in temperature. A linear relationship between ultimate tensile stress and the Ludwigson parameters has been established. The influence of nitrogen on the Ludwigson modelling par ameters has also been explained.