Abstract: The development of texture during plastic deformation plays an important role in determining the stretch formability of magnesium alloy sheets. In this study, the orientation stability during equibiaxial tension of magnesium was analyzed based on three dimensional lattice rotations calculated by using a rate-dependent crystal plasticity model and assuming five different combinations of slip modes. The results show that no orientations can satisfy the stability criteria with both zero rotation velocity and convergent orientation flow in all dimensions. However, relatively stable orientations with zero rotation velocity and an overall convergence are found. They are featured by characteristic alignments of specific crystallographic directions in the macroscopic axis of contraction, depending on the slip modes involved in the deformation. It is also shown that the orientation stability varies significantly with the deviation of deformation mode from equibiaxial tension. The simulation results are briefly discussed in comparison with pre-existing experiments.

Key words: Magnesium, Biaxial tension, Orientation stability, Texture