Numerical Validation of Time-Efficient ECAP Simulations Based on Energy Criteria

Igor Ciganović, Zdenka Keran, Petar Piljek, and Andrej Razumić

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64486/m.65.4.7
Online publication date: March 25, 2026

Abstract: Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) is a widely used severe plastic defor-mation technique for producing ultrafine-grained metals. Numerical modelling plays an essential role in analyzing the process mechanics. The purpose of this study is to reduce the computational cost of explicit ECAP simulations by applying mass scaling while ensuring that the accuracy of the results is not compro-mised. The methodology includes explicit finite-element modelling with con-trolled mass scaling and verification by monitoring internal, kinetic, and total energies throughout deformation. The ratio of kinetic to internal energy is used as the primary indicator of acceptable quasi-static behavior. The results show that the applied mass-scaling level significantly reduces computational time without altering the predicted stress distribution, plastic strain fields, or forming forces, pro-vided that the kinetic energy remains within recommended limits. The application of mass scaling reduced simulation time by more than two orders of magnitude while preserving quasi-static conditions, as indicated by a consistently low kinetic-to-internal energy ratio. The study concludes that energy-based verification offers a reliable framework for applying mass scaling in ECAP simulations while preserving the physical validity of the results.

Keywords: ECAP; mass scaling; severe plastic deformation; quasi-static behavior

This article is published online first and will appear in Metalurgija, Vol. 65, Issue 4 (2026).