Internal Elastic Strains of AZ31B Plate during Unloading at Twinning-Active Region

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Title:  Internal Elastic Strains of AZ31B plate During Unloading at Twinning-Active Region

·       Abstract:  Please expand EVPSC-TDT. 

·       The objective can be stronger.

·       Please explain the low prismatic slip, higher twin in compression than tension.

·       Figure 2(a):  Please elaborate on the difference between experimental and simulated stress strain plot.   

·       Please elucidate the consequence of amount of twining on the inaccuracy of simulation, Figures 3 and 4. 

The English can be better.  Abstract: '..when the total stress is completely unloaded (reduced to zero).'  

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

1. Please check all the units of the variables for formulae 1–9. In my view, some units were missed. Correct me if I am wrong.

2. Could you please provide the dimensions of the hot-rolled AZ31B plate (line 117)?

3. In lines 174–175, you write that “…well reproduced by the simulations…”. Could you characterize this well reproduction numerically? (For instance, the deviation is not more than ___%).

4. The same is for the discussion on page 6. When you compare the experimental and predicted (simulated) data, some numbers are very desirable. It could emphasize the accuracy of the designed model.

5. Conclusion, paragraph 3. Please provide numerical characterization to support “excellent predictive capabilities” and the fact that “the model effectively captures the reduction of twin volume fraction…”.    

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

The authors present work on unloading cycles of AZ31 alloy that combines experiments and simulations. Although the applied methods are quite complex and up-to-date, the analysis of results is not very profound.

1. Authors stated that the applied model describes very well the behavior of tested material. However, the fitted parameters are not really realistic. Basal slip has higher CRSS than the prismatic one, which is not the case for the AZ31 alloy. The overall values of CRSS are also somewhat higher than expected for 50 micrometer grains. Authors should make some comments about their fitting procedure.

2. The decrease of twin volume fraction during unloading that is caused by the back-stress is not an unknown phenomenon, as well as the inverting of stress sign. Detwinning and twin thinning during unloading were already observed in previous work. Authors should improve the discussion about the quantity of this phenomenon in their material and provide some perspective concerning the particular microstructure and texture. 

3. Plots 3, 4 and 5 are difficult to read. Please increase the scale on the axis and also legend for each curve.

The manuscript contains many typewriting errors and missing words, especially verbs. Please read the text carefully and correct them.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

In my view, all the necessary correction were made.