9 research outputs found
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Making the Connection Between Microstructure and Mechanics
The purpose of microstructural control is to optimize materials properties. To that end, they have developed sophisticated and successful computational models of both microstructural evolution and mechanical response. However, coupling these models to quantitatively predict the properties of a given microstructure poses a challenge. This problem arises because most continuum response models, such as finite element, finite volume, or material point methods, do not incorporate a real length scale. Thus, two self-similar polycrystals have identical mechanical properties regardless of grain size, in conflict with theory and observations. In this project, they took a tiered risk approach to incorporate microstructure and its resultant length scales in mechanical response simulations. Techniques considered include low-risk, low-benefit methods, as well as higher-payoff, higher-risk methods. Methods studied include a constitutive response model with a local length-scale parameter, a power-law hardening rate gradient near grain boundaries, a local Voce hardening law, and strain-gradient polycrystal plasticity. These techniques were validated on a variety of systems for which theoretical analyses and/or experimental data exist. The results may be used to generate improved constitutive models that explicitly depend upon microstructure and to provide insight into microstructural deformation and failure processes. Furthermore, because mechanical state drives microstructural evolution, a strain-enhanced grain growth model was coupled with the mechanical response simulations. The coupled model predicts both properties as a function of microstructure and microstructural development as a function of processing conditions
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Towards enhancing Sandia's capabilities in multiscale materials modeling and simulation.
We report our conclusions in support of the FY 2003 Science and Technology Milestone ST03-3.5. The goal of the milestone was to develop a research plan for expanding Sandia's capabilities in materials modeling and simulation. From inquiries and discussion with technical staff during FY 2003 we conclude that it is premature to formulate the envisioned coordinated research plan. The more appropriate goal is to develop a set of computational tools for making scale transitions and accumulate experience with applying these tools to real test cases so as to enable us to attack each new problem with higher confidence of success
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An analytical and computational study of combined rate and size effects on material properties.
The recent interests in developing multiscale model-based simulation procedures have brought about the challenging tasks of bridging different spatial and temporal scales within a unified framework. However, the research focus has been on the scale effect in the spatial domain with the loading rate being assumed to be quasi-static. Although material properties are rate-dependent in nature, little has been done in understanding combined loading rate and specimen size effects on the material properties at different scales. In addition, the length and time scales that can be probed by the molecular level simulations are still fairly limited due to the limitation of computational capability. Based on the experimental and computational capabilities available, therefore, an attempt is made in this report to formulate a hyper-surface in both spatial and temporal domains to predict combined size and rate effects on the mechanical properties of engineering materials. To demonstrate the features of the proposed hyper-surface, tungsten specimens of various sizes under various loading rates are considered with a focus on the uniaxial loading path. The mechanical responses of tungsten specimens under other loading paths are also explored to better understand the size effect. It appears from the preliminary results that the proposed procedure might provide an effective means to bridge different spatial and temporal scales in a unified multiscale modeling framework, and facilitate the application of nanoscale research results to engineering practice
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Phase Structure and Cyclic Deformation in Eutectic Tin-Lead Alloy: A Numerical Analysis
This study is devoted to providing a mechanistic rationale of coarsening induced failure in solder alloys during thermomechanical fatigue. Micromechanical modeling of cyclic deformation of eutectic tin-lead alloy was undertaken using the finite element method. The models consist of regularly arranged tin-rich and lead-rich phases, simulating the lamellar array and colony structure in a typical eutectic system. A fine structure and a coarse structure, bearing the same phase fraction but different in the aspect ratio of each lead-rich layer and in the number of lead-rich layers in each colony, are utilized for representing the microstructure before and after coarsening, respectively. Both phases are treated as elastic-plastic solids with their respective properties. For simplicity the creep effect is ignored without compromising the main objective of this study. Cyclic loading under pure shear and uniaxial conditions is modeled. It is found that both the fine and coarse structures exhibit essentially the same macroscopic stress-strain response. The coarse structure, however, shows a greater maximum effective plastic strain on a local scale throughout the deformation. The numerical result implies that, in a solder joint, a locally coarsened region may not be mechanically weaker than its surrounding, but it is subject to early damage initiation due to accumulated plasticity. Other implications regarding solder alloy failure and micromechanical modeling of two-phase materials are discussed
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Microstructural changes in eutectic tin-lead alloy due to severe bending
Severe plastic deformation in an eutectic tin-lead alloy is studied by imposing fast bending at room temperature, in an attempt to examine the microstructural response in the absence of thermally activated diffusion processes. A change in microstructure due to this purely mechanically imposed load is observed: the tin-rich matrix phase appears to be extruded out of the narrow region between neighboring layers of the lead-rich phase and alterations in the colony structure occur. A micromechanism is proposed to rationalize the experimental observations
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Constitutive modeling of viscoplastic damage in solder material
This paper presents a constitutive modeling of viscoplastic damage in 63Sn-37Pb solder material taking into account the effects of microstructural change in grain coarsening. Based on the theory of damage mechanics, a two-scalar damage model is developed by introducing the damage variables and the free energy equivalence principle. An inelastic potential function based on the concept of inelastic damage energy release rate is proposed and used to derive an inelastic damage evolution equation. The validation of the model is carried out for the viscoplastic material by predicting monotonic tensile behavior and tensile creep curves at different temperatures. The softening behavior of the material under monotonic tension loading can be characterized with the model. The results demonstrate adequately the validity of the proposed viscoplastic constitutive modeling for the solder material
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Computational methods for coupling microstructural and micromechanical materials response simulations
Computational materials simulations have traditionally focused on individual phenomena: grain growth, crack propagation, plastic flow, etc. However, real materials behavior results from a complex interplay between phenomena. In this project, the authors explored methods for coupling mesoscale simulations of microstructural evolution and micromechanical response. In one case, massively parallel (MP) simulations for grain evolution and microcracking in alumina stronglink materials were dynamically coupled. In the other, codes for domain coarsening and plastic deformation in CuSi braze alloys were iteratively linked. this program provided the first comparison of two promising ways to integrate mesoscale computer codes. Coupled microstructural/micromechanical codes were applied to experimentally observed microstructures for the first time. In addition to the coupled codes, this project developed a suite of new computational capabilities (PARGRAIN, GLAD, OOF, MPM, polycrystal plasticity, front tracking). The problem of plasticity length scale in continuum calculations was recognized and a solution strategy was developed. The simulations were experimentally validated on stockpile materials
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Materials Issues for Micromachines Development - ASCI Program Plan
This report summarizes materials issues associated with advanced micromachines development at Sandia. The intent of this report is to provide a perspective on the scope of the issues and suggest future technical directions, with a focus on computational materials science. Materials issues in surface micromachining (SMM), Lithographic-Galvanoformung-Abformung (LIGA: lithography, electrodeposition, and molding), and meso-machining technologies were identified. Each individual issue was assessed in four categories: degree of basic understanding; amount of existing experimental data capability of existing models; and, based on the perspective of component developers, the importance of the issue to be resolved. Three broad requirements for micromachines emerged from this process. They are: (1) tribological behavior, including stiction, friction, wear, and the use of surface treatments to control these, (2) mechanical behavior at microscale, including elasticity, plasticity, and the effect of microstructural features on mechanical strength, and (3) degradation of tribological and mechanical properties in normal (including aging), abnormal and hostile environments. Resolving all the identified critical issues requires a significant cooperative and complementary effort between computational and experimental programs. The breadth of this work is greater than any single program is likely to support. This report should serve as a guide to plan micromachines development at Sandia