Compressive and Shearing Mechanical Anisotropy of Aluminum after ECAP

Severe plastic deformation (SPD), where metals are deformed up to very high strain values, leads to a very small grain size and a high strength of the material. ECAP (Equal Channel Angular Pressing) is one of the SPD methods, and involves the extrusion of a metal billet through two intersecting channels with identical cross-section and forming an angle between them. The material undergoes shearing as it crosses from one channel to the other, but its external dimensions are not altered. Shearing occurs along a single plane, which may lead to anisotropy in the mechanical properties of the material after ECAP. Compression, tension and shearing tests along various directions in the as-processed specimens indicated the presence of mechanical anisotropy in ECAP processed aluminum.