This research investigated the sensitivity of the mean phase strains in a h
eavily drawn copper-silver fiber composite to the inherent mechanical aniso
tropies resulting from the texture produced by the drawing process. The wor
k performed here is a precursor to the neutron diffraction experiments to b
e performed to advance the understanding of the residual stress development
during the fabrication process and how these residual strains change as a
function of loading. Copper-Silver (Cu-Ag) metal matrix composites are used
as high strength conductors for high performance pulse magnets. To produce
the filamentary nature and extreme work hardening a cold-working co-deform
ation fabrication process is used which in turn induces crystallographic al
ignment of Ag fibers and Cu matrix. In the limiting case the material behav
ior is close to single-crystalline Ag fibers embedded in single-crystalline
Cu matrix. Since this means that the mechanical elastic properties will be
strongly anisotropic we investigated the sensitivity of the mean phase str
ains to the degree of anisotropy using a three dimensional finite element m
odel. The anisotropic elastic properties of the Ag and Cu were incorporated
. Several different loading conditions were applied. Results of the various
loading conditions were then used to obtain an estimate of the mean phase
strains of the composite.