Multi-scale simulation of multi-pass hot deformation

In steel industries, hot metal forming processes such as rolling, forging, and extrusion, are used to get desired shape of the product and refinement of the grain size (small crystal in metal) through high plastic deformation. Grain size is a critical factor that affects the mechanical, chemical, and physical behaviour of metals in their surrounding environment. It is widely recognized that finer grain sizes in the microstructure correspond to superior material properties. The non-homogeneity of the process parameters through the cross-section challenges to measure the recrystallization kinetics and grain size experimentally. Therefore, the development of modelling and simulation methods for predicting process parameters and grain size distribution/microstructure is a crucial field in the steel industries.
I have developed thermomechanical model and simulations for multi-pass hot forming processes, designed experiments to validate it, and developed Avrami-type equations for recrystallization kinetics and finally applied to finite element modelling to predict grain size. However, the grain size prediction from the Avrami-type recrystallization equation doesn't account the localized dislocation inside the grain size which increase the inaccuracy in the prediction of grain size distribution. Therefore, an advanced microstructure model will be developed using MICRESS software for this project, which has the capability to import localized dislocation density.