Analysis of nuclear components subjected to cyclic plastic deformation is normally based on the American standard ASME III. With the focus to improve the modeling of the stress-strain response under non-monotonic loading, several models for the analysis of cyclic plastic deformation have been developed in recent years. However, experience shows that the analysis and evaluation of plastic cycling and its impact on component integrity is very complex.
The purpose of this study was to increase the understanding of material modeling and to examine the limitations and capabilities of some of the most commonly used models in cyclic plastic deformation.