Strain Evolution Measurement at the Microscale of a Dual Phase Steel Using Digital Image Correlation

Digital Image Correlation (DIC) together with in-situ tensile testing has been used to measure in DP1000 steel the evolution of plastic strains at the microstructure scale. Interrupted tensile tests were performed on specially designed samples and scanning-electron micrographs were taken at regular applied strain intervals. Patterns defined by the microstructural features of the material have been used for the correlation carried out using LAVision software. The full field strain maps produced by DIC show a progressive localisation of deformation into bands at about 45o with respect to the loading direction. Plastic strains as high as 130% have been measured within the ferrite phase.