A Three-Dimensional Cellular Automata Model Coupling Energy and Curvature-Driven Mechanisms for Austenitic Grain Growth

Abstract

A 3D cellular automata model is used to simulate normal austenitic grain growth in this study. The proposed model considers both the curvature- and thermodynamics-driven mechanisms of growth. The 3D grain growth kinetics shows good agreement with the Beck equation. Moreover, the growth exponent and grain size distribution calculated by the proposed model coincides well with experimental and simulation results from other researchers. A linear relationship is found between the average relative grain size and the grain face number. More specifically, for average relative grain sizes exceeding ~0.5, the number of faces increases linearly with relative grain size. For average relative grain sizes <0.5, this relationship is changed. Results simulated by the proposed model are translated to physical meaning by adjusting the actual temperature, space, and time for austenitic grain growth. The calibrated results are found to be in agreement with the simulation results from other research as well as the experimental results. By means of calibration of the proposed model, we can reliably predict the grain size in actual grain growth.