Electron backscattered diffraction of transgranular crack propagation in soft steel

We consider the crack propagation in a soft steel sheet during the formation. The drawability is considered in relation with the structural anisotropy, the mechanical behaviour is related to both the grain morphology and the texture. The structure heterogeneity could lead to the apparition of micro-cracks. The results show the texture effect on the crack propagation and on the crack arrest in soft steel during the formation. The EBSD technique allows to show that the adjustment of the grain orientation from the initial main component {111} (112) towards the deformation orientation {111} (110) incites a trans-granular crack through a grain with initial {111} (112) orientation in a globally ductile material. It is the presence of grains with {111} (110) orientation which permits the closing of micro-cracks.