The through-process texture analysis of plate rolling by coupling finite element and fast Fourier transform crystal plasticity analysis

Abstract

The demand for heavy-gauge steel plates for use in the large structures has been increasing steadily. Controlled rolling is an effective method of both increasing the strength of steel plates and improving their toughness. Techniques for controlling the texture of polycrystalline materials are very important because texture distribution has a strong effect not only on the characteristics of steel plates but also on their mechanical and toughness properties. However, it is difficult to quantitatively evaluate the evolution of the plate rolling texture through experimentation because the plate rolling process includes recrystallization and transformation. For this purpose, a recently developed hybrid numerical approach that involves the integrated use of the crystal plasticity (CP) finite element method and the CP fast Fourier transform method was employed in this study. With this hybrid method, the influence of the plate rolling conditions on the deformed/transformed texture evolution and the influence of texture distribution in the thickness direction on the fracture toughness can be captured. The through-process texture analysis presented in this paper provides new insights into the prediction of texture, microstructure, and mechanical response in the industrial processes which are hard to monitor directly.