Deux problèmes surviennent lorsque nous étudions les effets du grenaillage de précontrainte sur le processus de la fatigue. Le premier est la caractérisation des contraintes résiduelles (CR) et de l’écrouissage. Le second est l’évolution de CR et de l’écrouissage pendant le cyclage.Pour résoudre le premier problème, cette thèse propose une méthode pour mesurer les contraintes et l’écrouissage par nanoindentation. Ici, l’écrouissage est représenté par la déformation plastique cumulée (PP). A l’aide d’une série de simulations par éléments finis (MEF) en supposant le comportement du matériau connu, les réponses obtenues par indentation permettent d’obtenir simultanément contrainte et déformation plastique. Bien que satisfaisante d’un point vue numérique, les performances expérimentales obtenues sur un alliage de titane temps T40 restent insuffisantes. Cependant, si le profil de contrainte est connu, on peut toutefois obtenir le profil de déformation plastique. Les biais induits par la préparation de la surface ont été analysés en détail. Pour le second problème, une série d'essais de fatigue ont été effectués sur un alliage Ti-18. Quatre traitements ont été testés sur 100 cycles sous 3 amplitudes différentes de déformation. Des mesures par diffraction des rayons X ont montré que la relaxation des contraintes et l’adoucissement cyclique augmentent avec l'amplitude de déformation. Les essais d’indentation ont montré un adoucissement de la couche grenaillée / There are two problems when investigating the effects of shot-peening on fatigue process. The first one is characterizing residual stresses (RS) and strain hardening (WH) on the sample surface. The second one is the evolution of RS and WH during fatigue. In order to solve the first problem, this thesis proposes a “simultaneous function method” to measure RS and WH with nanoindentation. Accumulated plastic strain (PP) is used to represent WH. Then, by establishing functions of normalized indentation responses through a series of finite element method (FEM) simulations, normalized indentation responses obtained from nanoindentation experiments can be used to extract RS and PP values, assuming that the constitutive behavior is known. Although the simultaneous function method shows fairly high accuracy from a pure numerical view point, experiments performed on T40 commercial pure titanium are not completely satisfying. However, if the residual stress profile is known, the method can be used to derive the work hardening profile.In order to study the second problem, a series of strain-controlled fatigue tests are performed on Ti-18 alloy. Fatigue specimens of 4 material states, including raw, shot-peened, prestrained and prestrained + shot-peened, were tested under 3 different strain amplitudes over 100 cycles. X-ray diffraction tests on the sample surfaces showed that the RS relaxation and the cyclic softening increase together with the strain amplitude. IIT tests showed that shot-peening may induce a softening of the surface of Ti-18 alloy samples

No presente trabalho foram estudados os fenômenos de encruamento e, principalmente, a formação e reversão da martensita alfa-linha (a\', cúbica de corpo centrado, CCC, ferromagnética) induzida por deformação em um aço inoxidável dúplex UNS S31803 e um super dúplex UNS S32520. Inicialmente, as microestruturas dos dois materiais na condição solubilizada foram caracterizadas com auxílio de várias técnicas complementares de análise microestrutural. Foram determinadas fração volumétrica, estrutura cristalina, composição química, tamanho e morfologia das duas fases (ferrita e austenita). Posteriormente, os dois aços foram deformados por dois métodos: a laminação a frio, dividida em vários estágios, com menores graus de deformação e a limagem, sendo que o cavaco limado resultante apresenta altos graus de deformação. Algumas amostras deformadas foram recozidas. Os fenômenos de encruamento, formação e reversão de martensita induzida por deformação na austenita, recuperação, recristalização da austenita e da ferrita no cavaco limado foram estudados predominantemente por difratometria de raios X e usando o método de Rietveld. A difratometria de raios X também foi utilizada para determinação das microdeformações residuais e tamanhos de cristalito (subgrão), calculadas a partir do alargamento dos picos de difração causado pelas deformações. Desta forma, puderam-se comparar os níveis de deformação da laminação e limagem. Qualitativamente, a formação e reversão da martensita induzida por deformação também foi estudada por meio de medidas magnéticas utilizando-se dados de saturação magnética das curvas de histerese obtidas com o auxílio de um magnetômetro de amostra vibrante. Observou-se que para o aço inoxidável dúplex, tanto a laminação quanto a limagem causaram a formação de martensita induzida por deformação e para o aço inoxidável super dúplex, apenas a limagem promoveu essa transformação. Em comparação com o aço dúplex, o aço super dúplex apresentou maior resistência à formação de martensita induzida por deformação, pois apresenta uma austenita mais rica em nitrogênio e uma maior propensão à formação de fase sigma durante o recozimento, pois apresenta uma ferrita mais rica em cromo e nitrogênio. / In the present work the phenomena of strain hardening, formation and reversion of the strain induced alpha-prime martensite (a\', body centered cubic, BCC, Ferromagnetic) in an UNS S31803 duplex and UNS S32520 super duplex stainless steels have been studied. Firstly, the microstructures of both materials in the solution annealed condition were characterized with the aid of several microstructural analysis complementary techniques. The volume fraction, crystalline structure, chemical composition, size and morphology of the two phases (ferrite and austenite) have been determined. Further, both steels were deformed by two methods: cold rolling, divided into several stages, with lower strain levels than filing, which the chips resulting had higher strain levels. The phenomena of strain hardening, formation and reversion of strain induced martensite in the austenite phase, recovery and recrystallization of austenite and ferrite phases have been studied, mainly using X-ray diffraction and the Rietveld method. X-ray diffraction was also used to determine the residual microstrain and crystallite size (sub grain), calculated from the diffraction peak broadening caused by straining. Thus, the levels of cold rolling and filing strains could be compared. Qualitatively, the formation and reversion of strain induced martensite was also studied by magnetic measurements using data from magnetic saturation of hysteresis curves obtained with the aid of a vibrating sample magnetometer. It has been observed that for the duplex stainless steel, both filing as well as cold rolling promoted strain induced martensite. On the other hand, for the super duplex stainless steel, just filing promoted this transformation. In the comparing with duplex, the super duplex stainless steel austenite is more stable that is why is richer in nitrogen, so, the strain induced martensite formation is more difficult. The easier sigma phase precipitation during annealing as well in the super duplex stainless steel is due higher levels of chrome and molybdenum than the duplex stainless steel.

Confined particulate systems, particularly powder compacts, are widely used in various applications in industries such as pharmaceutical, automotive, agriculture, and energy production. Due to their extensive applications, characterization of these materials is of great importance for optimizing their performance and manufacturing processes. Modeling approaches capable of capturing the heterogeneity and complex behavior are effective at predicting the macroscopic behavior of granular systems. These modeling approaches utilize information about the microstructure evolution of these materials during compaction processes at the mesoscale (particle-scale). Using these types of modeling depend on accurate contact formulation between inter-particle contacts. The challenge comes in formulating these contact models that accurately predict force-area-deformation relationships. In this work, contact laws are presented for elastic-ideally plastic particles and plastic particles with power-law hardening under unconfined (simple compression) and confined (die and hydrostatic compaction) compression. First, material properties for a set of finite element simulations are obtained using space-filling design. The finite element simulations are used for verification and building an analytical framework of the contact radius and contact pressure which allows for efficient determination of the contact force. Semi-mechanistic contact laws are built for elastic-ideally plastic spherical particles that depend on material properties and loading configuration. Then, rigid-plastic assumption is used to modify the contact laws to consider power-law hardening effects while keeping loading configuration dependency. Finally, after building and verifying the contact laws, they are used to estimate hardening properties, contact radius evolution, and stress response of micro-crystalline cellulose particles under different loading configurations using experimental data from simple compression.

La structure et les propriétés rhéologiques de nanocomposites élastomère (BR ou SBR)/silice ont été étudiées dans cette thèse dans le but de mieux comprendre, par la suite, l’origine des défauts volumiques qui peuvent être observés à l’extrusion de ces mélanges. Des mélanges modèles simplifiés ont été réalisés au laboratoire et majoritairement étudiés dans ce travail de thèse. La structure de ces nanocomposites a été caractérisée par des mesures de taux d’élastomère lié, des analyses en RMN ainsi que des observations microscopiques (MEB ou MET). Ces dernières ont souligné l’existence de microstructures similaires pour les mélanges à base de BR dans la gamme de températures et de vitesses de mélangeage étudiée. A première vue, l’absence de différence quant à la distribution ou la dispersion des charges suggère donc que les différences de propriétés rhéologiques résident davantage dans les interactions gomme/charges. Les analyses en RMN ont, quant à elles, permis la détermination des taux de greffage du silane incorporé aux mélanges pour coupler les charges aux chaines élastomères. Il a été observé qu’une augmentation de la température de mélangeage favorise le greffage du silane. Les analyses RMN ont également mis en évidence la présence de réactions de pré-réticulation. Les taux de greffage ont alors pu être reliés aux conditions de mélangeage, via l’établissement d’une loi corrélant les taux de greffage silane/BR à un paramètre d’équivalence temps-température. Ce dernier est représentatif de l’histoire thermique subie par le mélange lors de sa préparation. La structure des mélanges a été corrélée aux propriétés rhéologiques caractérisées par des mesures en rhéologie dynamique, en fluage et en élongation. Les temps de relaxation moyens ou l’indice de strain hardening « SHI », issus de ces mesures, ont montré une augmentation avec la croissance des taux de greffage déterminés en RMN. Ces comparaisons ont également mis en évidence l’impact de la vitesse de mélangeage dont l’augmentation tend à diminuer le rhéoépaississement. Il existe donc au cours du mélangeage une compétition entre les réactions de greffage et les phénomènes de rupture qui induisent respectivement une croissance ou une réduction de la taille des amas d’agrégats connectés ; ces derniers étant à l’origine de l’augmentation du rhéoépaississement. Un modèle rendant compte de cette compétition a été proposé afin d’estimer l’évolution du SHI en fonction du taux de greffage et de la vitesse de mélangeage. Pour finir, les propriétés rhéologiques ont été comparées aux défauts volumiques caractérisés par profilométrie. Cette comparaison a mis en évidence l’existence de lois uniques reliant ces descripteurs rhéologiques au niveau de bosselage / The structure and rheological properties of elastomer (BR or SBR)/silica nanocomposites were studied in this work in order to understand the causes of volume defects observed during blends extrusion. Simplified model blends were prepared in laboratory internal mixer and mainly studied in this work. Nanocomposites structure was characterized by bound rubber measurements, NMR analysis and microscopic observations (SEM or TEM). These last observations have highlighted the existence of similar microstructures for BR blends in the range of studied mixing temperature and speeds. At first sight, the absence of difference in the fillers distribution or dispersion suggests that silica/rubber interactions have main impact on rheological properties. NMR analysis allowed the determination of silane grafting rate. TESPT silane was incorporated in blends to couple fillers to elastomer chains. It has been observed that the mixing temperature increase promotes the grafting of the silane. NMR analysis also demonstrated the presence of pre-crosslinking reactions. Grafting rates were then connected to the mixing conditions, through the establishment of a law correlating the silane/BR grafting rate to a time-temperature equivalence parameter. This parameter is representative of the thermal history undergone by the blend during its preparation. Blend structure was correlated to rheological properties characterized by dynamical rheology, creep and elongation measurements. Relaxation times or strain hardening index "SHI", determined thanks to these measurements, increase with the growth of grafting rate. These evolutions have also highlighted the impact of the mixing speed on rheological properties. The increase of mixing speed tends to reduce the shear thickening. Therefore, a competition between the grafting reactions and breaking phenomena occurs during blending. Grafting and breaking phenomena respectively induce growth or reduction of the size of connected aggregates clusters. The latter are responsible of the increase in the strain hardening. A model accounting for this competition has been proposed to estimate the evolution of SHI as a function of grafting and mixing speed. Finally, rheological properties were compared to volume defects characterized by profilometry. This comparison showed the existence of unique laws correlating these rheological descriptors to the intensity of volume instabilities

Existing reinforced concrete structures feature, as a rule, a relatively low resistance to various sorts of impact loading, such as shock, collision, or explosion. To this aim, the primary goal of the Research Training Group (in German: Graduiertenkolleg, GRK) 2250, funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), is to bring substantial improvements in the impact resistance of existing buildings by applying thin layers of strengthening material. By using innovative mineralbonded composites, public safety and reliability of vitally important existing structures and infrastructure should be significantly enhanced. The scientific basis to be developed will additionally enable to build new, impact-resistant structures economically and ecologically. The framework of the GRK 2250 as well as some achievements are herein briefly presented.

A crescente demanda de aplicações de aços inoxidáveis austeníticos e a constante pressão para redução de custo nas empresas siderúrgicas, devido à alta volatilidade no custo do níquel, resultaram em novos desenvolvimentos de aços da série 200. Esta nova classe de aços inoxidáveis austeníticos contém elevados teores de manganês e nitrogênio em substituição ao elemento níquel. A justificativa para a realização deste trabalho é a escassez de estudos comparativos entre aços inoxidáveis austeníticos da série 200 e série 300 disponíveis na literatura em relação ao comportamento da transformação de fase induzida pela deformação e da resistência à corrosão. Os principais fatores que afetam a microestrutura no endurecimento por deformação são: a energia de defeito de empilhamento, composição química, temperatura, grau, taxa e modo de deformação. Realizou-se uma análise crítica e adequação dos conceitos de níquel e cromo equivalente para os aços AISI 201 e AISI 304. Amostras desses aços foram solubilizadas, laminadas e racionadas em diferentes condições para caracterização microestrutural com o auxílio de técnicas de microscopia óptica, microscopia eletrônica de varredura, difração de raios X, ferritoscópio e microdureza. Curvas de endurecimento em função do grau de deformação, fração volumétrica de martensita em função do grau de deformação, assim como a evolução microestrutural e sua respectiva identificação de fase com o grau de deformação foram resultados obtidos deste trabalho. Em geral, aumentando a deformação plástica a frio, maior é a dureza para ambos os aços e maior é a fração volumétrica de martensita induzida por deformação. O aço AISI 201 é mais susceptível a transformação de fase do que o aço AISI 304 devido a sua menor EDE. Ensaios eletroquímicos de espectroscopia de impedância eletroquímica e polarização potenciodinâmica anódica foram realizados para avaliação da resistência a corrosão e para avaliar o comportamento da repassivação. Ambos os aços apresentaram comportamento similares quanto à resistência à corrosão, além de apresentarem potenciais de corrosão da ordem de 10-8 A/cm², típico de materiais passivos. / The continuous increase in the application demand of austenitic stainless steels and the constant pressure for cost reduction in the steelmaking industry, due to the high instability of nickel price, has conduced to new developments of the AISI 200 series steels. This new austenitic stainless steel series employes high manganese and nitrogen contents in substitution to nickel. The reason of this work is the lack of comparative studies in the literature between austenitic stainless steels of 200 and 300 series relative to the martensite strain induced phase transformation and its corrosion resistance. The main factors that affect microstructure on strain-hardening are: stacking fault energy, chemical composition, temperature, strain and strain rate. A critical analysis of the concept related to the nickel and chrome equivalents for the AISI 201 and AISI 304 steels has been carried out. Samples of these steels were heat treated and cold rolled to different strains for subsequent microstructural evaluation using equipments such as optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, microhardness and ferritoscope. Strain hardening versus strain, martensite volume fraction versus strain, as well as microstructure evolution and its respective phase identification with strain are some of the main results obtained in this study. In general, increasing the strain hardening, the higher will be the hardness of both stainless steels and higher is the induced martensite volume fraction. The AISI 201 steel presented higher susceptibility to induced phase transformation in comparison to the AISI 304 steel due to its lower stacking fault energy. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and anodic potenciodynamic polarization were the techniques used in this work to evaluate the corrosion resistance and passivation behavior respectively. Both steels presented similar corrosion resistance, apart from presenting a corrosion potential of about 10-8 A/cm² , which is typical for passivated materials.

A crescente demanda de aplicações de aços inoxidáveis austeníticos e a constante pressão para redução de custo nas empresas siderúrgicas, devido à alta volatilidade no custo do níquel, resultaram em novos desenvolvimentos de aços da série 200. Esta nova classe de aços inoxidáveis austeníticos contém elevados teores de manganês e nitrogênio em substituição ao elemento níquel. A justificativa para a realização deste trabalho é a escassez de estudos comparativos entre aços inoxidáveis austeníticos da série 200 e série 300 disponíveis na literatura em relação ao comportamento da transformação de fase induzida pela deformação e da resistência à corrosão. Os principais fatores que afetam a microestrutura no endurecimento por deformação são: a energia de defeito de empilhamento, composição química, temperatura, grau, taxa e modo de deformação. Realizou-se uma análise crítica e adequação dos conceitos de níquel e cromo equivalente para os aços AISI 201 e AISI 304. Amostras desses aços foram solubilizadas, laminadas e racionadas em diferentes condições para caracterização microestrutural com o auxílio de técnicas de microscopia óptica, microscopia eletrônica de varredura, difração de raios X, ferritoscópio e microdureza. Curvas de endurecimento em função do grau de deformação, fração volumétrica de martensita em função do grau de deformação, assim como a evolução microestrutural e sua respectiva identificação de fase com o grau de deformação foram resultados obtidos deste trabalho. Em geral, aumentando a deformação plástica a frio, maior é a dureza para ambos os aços e maior é a fração volumétrica de martensita induzida por deformação. O aço AISI 201 é mais susceptível a transformação de fase do que o aço AISI 304 devido a sua menor EDE. Ensaios eletroquímicos de espectroscopia de impedância eletroquímica e polarização potenciodinâmica anódica foram realizados para avaliação da resistência a corrosão e para avaliar o comportamento da repassivação. Ambos os aços apresentaram comportamento similares quanto à resistência à corrosão, além de apresentarem potenciais de corrosão da ordem de 10-8 A/cm², típico de materiais passivos. / The continuous increase in the application demand of austenitic stainless steels and the constant pressure for cost reduction in the steelmaking industry, due to the high instability of nickel price, has conduced to new developments of the AISI 200 series steels. This new austenitic stainless steel series employes high manganese and nitrogen contents in substitution to nickel. The reason of this work is the lack of comparative studies in the literature between austenitic stainless steels of 200 and 300 series relative to the martensite strain induced phase transformation and its corrosion resistance. The main factors that affect microstructure on strain-hardening are: stacking fault energy, chemical composition, temperature, strain and strain rate. A critical analysis of the concept related to the nickel and chrome equivalents for the AISI 201 and AISI 304 steels has been carried out. Samples of these steels were heat treated and cold rolled to different strains for subsequent microstructural evaluation using equipments such as optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, microhardness and ferritoscope. Strain hardening versus strain, martensite volume fraction versus strain, as well as microstructure evolution and its respective phase identification with strain are some of the main results obtained in this study. In general, increasing the strain hardening, the higher will be the hardness of both stainless steels and higher is the induced martensite volume fraction. The AISI 201 steel presented higher susceptibility to induced phase transformation in comparison to the AISI 304 steel due to its lower stacking fault energy. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and anodic potenciodynamic polarization were the techniques used in this work to evaluate the corrosion resistance and passivation behavior respectively. Both steels presented similar corrosion resistance, apart from presenting a corrosion potential of about 10-8 A/cm² , which is typical for passivated materials.

Objetivo principal desta dissertação foi verificar os efeitos da temperatura de laminação na formação de martensita induzida por deformação e na sua posterior reversão da martensita para austenita no aço inoxidável austenítico AISI 304L. O estudo foi predominantemente microestrutural e para análise e caracterização foram utilizadas as técnicas de microscopia óptica, microscopia eletrônica de varredura, difração de raios X, medidas de dureza Vickers e medidas de fases ferromagnéticas por ferritoscopia. As amostras foram inicialmente solubilizadas a 1100 ºC por uma hora, visando a dissolução de uma pequena quantidade residual de ferrita encontrada nas amostras na condição como recebida, depois laminadas em diferentes temperaturas, determinando-se curvas de endurecimento por deformação e de formação de martensita induzida por deformação em função do grau de deformação. Em seguida, foram realizados pré-recozimentos a 600 ºC, favorecendo apenas a reversão da martensita para austenita, de maneira que não ocorresse a recristalização. A quantidade e a temperatura de deformação apresentaram forte influência na quantidade de martensita formada, no endurecimento por deformação e na cinética de amolecimento durante o recozimento. Os pré-tratamentos realizados a 600 ºC causaram acentuada reversão da martensita, algum amolecimento e pequeno efeito no tamanho de grão recristalizado durante o posterior recozimento a 600 ºC. / The main objective of the present dissertation was to verify the effects of the rolling temperature on the formation of strain induced martensite and in its subsequent martensite reversion to austenite in a AISI 304L stainless steel. The study was predominantly microstructural and, for the analysis and characterization, several techniques have been used, namely optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Vickers hardness measurements and magnetic phase measurements, using the ferritoscope. The samples were initially solution annealed at 1100 ºC for one hour, aiming at the dissolution of a small quantity of the residual -ferrite found in the samples in the as-received condition; then rolling was performed at different temperatures, evaluating strain hardening and the strain induced martensite as a function of strain. Following, pre-annealing treatments at 600 ºC have been performed, favoring only the martensite to austenite reversion, in a way that no recrystallization would occur. Strain and temperature had a strong influence on the amount of formed martensite, on the strain hardening and on the softening kinetics during annealing. The pre-annealing treatments at 600 ºC caused an accentuated effect on the martensite reversion, some softening and a small effect on the recrystallized grain size during the subsequent annealing at 600 ºC.

La corrosion sous contrainte par l’iode (CSC-I) est l’un des mécanismes de rupture potentiels des crayons combustibles en alliage de zirconium, pouvant intervenir au cours des transitoires de puissance des réacteurs nucléaires. La fissuration par CSC-I comporte trois étapes : amorçage de la fissure, développement intergranulaire puis propagation transgranulaire. Le but du travail est d’identifier des paramètres critiques gouvernant les transitions entre ces différentes étapes. En premier lieu, des essais sur des éprouvettes en Zircaloy présentant des finitions de surface et des états métallurgiques variés permettent de discriminer l’influence de différents paramètres sur l’amorçage des fissures. Nous mettons en évidence le rôle critique du niveau des contraintes résiduelles, de leur répartition en surface ainsi que de leur profil au sein du matériau. La sensibilité des alliages à l’amorçage des fissures n’est pas directement corrélée à la rugosité de la surface. Cependant, la dispersion des paramètres de rugosité traduit l’irrégularité du profil, l’hétérogénéité du niveau des contraintes résiduelles, et donc l’existence de zones où les contraintes résiduelles sont localement moins protectrices. Dans un second temps, des éprouvettes de Zircaloy-4 possédant différents états d’écrouissage sont sollicitées sous charge constante, en présence de méthanol iodé. Les modifications microstructurales induites par l’écrouissage favorisent l’apparition de la propagation transgranulaire des fissures de CSC-I. Des observations des faciès de rupture en MET révèlent que la transition inter/transgranulaire intervient dans des zones où les grains sont fortement désorientés les uns par rapport aux autres, suite à l’augmentation des contraintes locales résultant des incompatibilités de déformation grain à grain. / Iodine-induced stress corrosion cracking (I-SCC) is one of the potential failure modes of zirconium alloy fuel claddings during power transients in nuclear reactors. I-SCC failures are usually described in three steps: initiation of cracks, intergranular development and transgranular propagation. The objective of this work is to identify critical parameters controlling transitions between crack propagation modes. First of all, experiments conducted on Zircaloy samples with various surface conditions and metallurgical states lead to discriminate the influence of several parameters responsible for cracks initiation. The critical role of residual stresses level, their distribution at the subsurface and their evolution in the bulk of the material is evidenced. Sensitivity to I-SSC is not directly correlated to surface roughness. However, dispersion in roughness parameters indicates the presence of surface irregularities, heterogeneities of residual stresses and the existence of surface areas where residual stresses are less protective. In a second step, Zircaloy-4 samples with various strain-hardening pre-treatments are submitted to constant load tests in an iodine methanol solution. Microstructural modifications induced by a strain-hardening pre-treatment enhance transgranular propagation of I-SCC cracks. TEM observations of fracture surfaces show that the intergranular to transgranular crack transition takes place preferentially where the relative crystallographic orientation is large between two adjacent grains, because of local stress concentrations resulting from strain incompatibilities between neighbouring grains.

In the transportation industry, weight reduction is essential in order to reduce fuel consumption. A solution towards lighter structures is to improve the mechanical properties while keeping a sufficient ductility for the forming operations. The aim of the thesis was to investigate the enhancement of the mechanical properties of metallic alloys by the refinement of the grain size while playing with other microstructural features in order to maintain the strain hardening, and thus the ductility, as high as possible. Various fine grained dual phase steels were produced by severe plastic deformation followed by thermal treatment. Nano-indentation and tensile tests have been performed to measure the change of flow properties associated to the grain refinement. A new methodology, based on performing nano-indentation tests at different depth inside each phases of the steels, has been proposed in order to separate the different hardening contributions affecting the behaviour of the material. In order to gain a better understanding of the link between the fine grained microstructure and the flow properties, three models were developed introducing successively a richer and richer description of the microstructure. The first model allows interpreting the nano-indentation data at different depths. The second model predicts the flow curve of dual phase steels by considering the accumulation of dislocations on the grain boundaries with the associated back stress and the saturation of this accumulation of excess dislocations, while introducing the second phase particles through a homogenization scheme. Finally, the third model promotes a new explanation of the Hall-Petch law and the interaction of the grain size and the texture for pure copper using a multigrain crystal plasticity model incorporating grain boundary effects. Guidelines are given to optimize the microstructures towards an improvement of the structural properties and formability.