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University of Cambridge

Modelling of Simultaneous Transformations in Steels

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The microstructure of a steel is often developed by solid-state transformation from austenite. The major transformation products are allotriomorphic ferrite, pearlite, Widmanstatten ferrite, bainite and martensite, differentiated by morphological features, and their nucleation and growth mechanisms. A steel often consists of several phases as a result of dynamic evolution during continuous cooling. The complexity of the calculation of all the transformations simultaneously poses a challenge. There have been a few attempts at integrating all these transformations into an unified scheme. They involve varying degrees of empiricism. For the first time, a model that can predict simultaneously the volume proportions of all the major transformation products has been developed. The algorithm has taken full account of the thermodynamics and kinetics of individual transformations, instead of empirical equations, so the model should in principle generalise well. The predictions of the model are based on a number of input parameters: the chemical composition, austenite grain size and cooling conditions. The model can simulate cooling at constant rates, or isothermal transformations. Therefore it can also generate continuous cooling transformation (CCT), or time-temperature transformation (TTT) diagrams. The model has demonstrated a consistency in its predictions. The validations of the model against published experiment data and experiments conducted in this work have shown the predictions in most cases are reasonable with errors less than a few volume percent. Further research opportunities presented by the work are reviewed.

Degree

thesis:*
Name dc:type.qualificationname
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Level dc:type.qualificationlevel
Doctoral
Grantor dc:publisher.institution
University of Cambridge
Year dc:date.issued
2009

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Chen, Jiawen

Subjects

dc:subject × 5

Rights

dc:rights
Language dc:language
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
DOI dc:identifier.doi
https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.14253
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/217866

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Cambridge University
Base URL
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Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
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citation

Chen, Jiawen. Modelling of Simultaneous Transformations in Steels. Doctoral thesis, University of Cambridge, 2009. https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.14253