Dual-phase (DP) steels consisting of a ferrite matrix with dispersed martensite particles have attracted a significant interest due to their combination of high work hardening and ductility. A great deal of experimental work has been done to obtain a better comprehension of the relation of their mechanical behaviour to their microstructural characteristics. In the present work, a micromechanical study of ferrite-martensite DP steels is conducted. The deformation of ferrite is described by a rate-dependent crystal plasticity theory, which relates the stress-strain field equations on the grain level to the macroscopic behaviour of the material. The crystal plasticity theory assumes that slip is the only deformation mechanism. Martensite, on the other hand, is considered an elastic-plastic isotropic solid. The interfaces of the grains are taken into account through an idealized form of grain boundaries. A FORTRAN program was coupled with the finite element method to solve the stress equations of the crystal plasticity. Including the grain boundaries made it possible to examine the effect of ferrite grain size on the strength of the material. It is shown that by decreasing the grain size, the yield stress increases according to Hall-Petch equation. Additionally, the effects of the volume fraction of martensite (Vm) on the onset strain, i.e. the strain at which martensite deforms plastically, and of the distribution of martensite on the stress are studied. The former showed that the onset strain of the DP steel declines linearly with increasing Vm up to 36%, beyond which the onset strain becomes independent of V m. The latter revealed that when martensite particles are formed as islands in the ferrite grains, the material exhibits higher strength and hardening rate; compared to when martensite is distributed as large blocks among the ferrite grains.

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The need to develop light-weight and high strength materials for car frames which improve fuel efficiency and provide increased passenger safety during dynamic events such as automobile crashes has been the focus of the steel and automobile industries for the past 30 years. In recent years, the development of high strength steels such as multi-phase TRIP (Transformation-Induced Plasticity)-aided steels have shown great promise due to their excellent combination of high strength and ductility. The savings in automobile weight is provided by the inherent strength of TRIP steels which allows for the use of thinner sections. The TRIP effect is characterized by the phenomenon known as strain-induced martensitic transformation (SIMT) which enhances the work hardenability of such steels as the austenite phase transforms to the much harder martensite phase during plastic straining. This results in a resistance to local necking which subsequently enhances the strength, ductility, and formability of such steels. However, various factors exist which affect the mechanical behaviour of TRIP steels. This study will aim, through the use of finite element models, to investigate the role and influence of each of these factors on the TRIP effect in type 304 austenitic and multi-phase TRIP steels. These factors include the rate at which the martensitic transformation proceeds, the state of stress to which the material is subjected to, the interaction between the surrounding matrix and embedded retained austenite islands in multi-phase TRIP steels, and the volume fraction and morphology of the retained austenite islands. Investigation of these factors will provide further insight on each of their contributions to the TRIP effect in order to exploit the potential benefits offered by these steels.

No description available.

The mechanical behavior of structural materials used in nuclear applications is significantly degraded as a result of irradiation, typically characterized by an increase in yield stress, localization of inelastic deformation along narrow dislocation channels, and considerably reduced strains to failure. Further, creep rates are accelerated under irradiation. These changes in mechanical properties can be traced back to the irradiated microstructure which shows the formation of a large number of material defects, e.g., point defect clusters, dislocation loops, and complex dislocation networks. Interaction of dislocations with the irradiation-induced defects governs the mechanical behavior of irradiated metals. However, the mechanical properties are seldom systematically correlated to the underlying irradiated microstructure. Further, the current state of modeling of deformation behavior is mostly phenomenological and typically does not incorporate the effects of microstructure or defect densities. The present research develops a continuum constitutive crystal plasticity framework to model the mechanical behavior and deformed microstructure of bcc ferritic/martensitic steels exposed to irradiation. Physically-based constitutive models for various plasticity-induced dislocation migration processes such as climb and cross-slip are developed. We have also developed models for the interaction of dislocations with the irradiation-induced defects. A rate theory based approach is used to model the evolution of point defects generated due to irradiation, and coupled to the mechanical behavior. A void nucleation and growth based damage framework is also developed to model failure initiation in these irradiated materials. The framework is used to simulate the following major features of inelastic deformation in bcc ferritic/martensitic steels: irradiation hardening, flow localization due to dislocation channel formation, failure initiation at the interfaces of these dislocation channels and grain boundaries, irradiation creep deformation, and temperature-dependent non-Schmid yield behavior. Model results are compared to available experimental data. This framework represents the state-of-the-art in constitutive modeling of the deformation behavior of irradiated materials.