A unified constitutive model is presented to predict the recently observed “multi-stage” creep behavior of Al-Li-S4 alloy. The corresponding microstructural variables related to the yield strength and creep deformation of the alloy during the creep ageing process, including dislocations and multiple precipitates, have been characterized in detail by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). For the yield strength, the model considers the multiphase strengthening behavior of the alloy based on strengthening mechanisms, which includes shearable T1 precipitate strengthening, non-shearable T1 precipitate strengthening and θ′ precipitate strengthening. Based on creep deformation mechanism, the “multi-stage” creep behavior of the alloy is predicted by introducing the effects of interacting microstructural variables, including the radius of multiple precipitates, dislocation density and solute concentration, into the creep stress-strain model. It is concluded that the results calculated by the model are in a good agreement with the experimental data, which validates the proposed model.
