Phase field modeling and simulation of the evolution of twelve crystallographic martensite variants in austenitic parent grains – three‐dimensional simulations

Abstract

AbstractDue to its outstanding strength martensitic microstructures are of great importance in steels. Accordingly, this work deals with a simulation model capable of simulating the evolution of the martensitic microstructure. The focus is on the consideration of twelve crystallographic martensite variants corresponding to the Nishiyama‐Wassermann orientation relationship. For this, the phase field method, which regularizes sharp interfaces as smooth transition zone on basis of order parameters is used. The order parameters are used to interpolate between the initial parent phase austenite and the final product phase martensite. The evolution of a martensitic microstructure initiated by a supercooling under isothermal conditions is considered. In order to define the displacive characteristics of the martensite variants, the well‐known phenomenological theory of martensite crystallography is deployed. Three‐dimensional simulations using the finite element method in the small strain context show the applicability of the model to polycrystalline structures.