anisotropic hardening

Anisotropic hardening refers to how a material's resistance to deformation increases unevenly depending on the direction of applied stress. When a material is deformed, its internal structure changes differently along various directions, making it harder to deform further in those specific directions. This directional dependence means the material "hardens" more in some orientations than others, affecting how it responds to subsequent loads. Understanding anisotropic hardening is important for designing components, as it influences their strength and durability based on how they are stressed during use.