A general method for coupling microstructural response with structural performance

The paper sets out the general principles of a method of coupling finite element for the representation of the structural response with array of cellular automata to encompass the associated microstructural behaviour. For the purpose of this paper, cellular automata is a discrete time-discrete space system consisting of cells which may take one of several states. The state of a cell depends on the states of the neighbouring cells as well as on some macroscopic field variables. The paper goes on to show how these principles can be used, by applying them to problems of oxide scale cracking and of dynamic recrystallization during the hot working of steel, and to the ductile-to-brittle transition in the fracture of ferritic steels.