Abstract
To evaluate the through depth plastic strain generated by deep rolling,
the analytical model of plastic strain was developed based on the Hertz
contact theory. The analytical model of plastic strain was verified by
numerical simulation. Then, the effect of rolling force, the diameter of
the ball and ball material on the through depth plastic strain was
investigated and validated by the through depth microhardness profiles.
The results show that first method of the analytical model is more
accurate, and the error of maximum plastic strain derived by the
analytical model and finite element (FE) simulation is just 7.8%. The
through depth and relevant effective depth increase with the increase of
rolling force; the through depth plastic strain decreases with
increasing diameter of the ball. The tungsten carbide ball induces more
plastic strain than the ball made of silicon nitride and steel.
Moreover, the plastic strain profiles are in line with the variation of
microhardness along with the depth.