Analysis of work hardening mechanisms in Quenching and Partitioning steels combining experiments with a 3D micro-mechanical model

Quenching & Partitioning (Q&P) steels owe their good strength-ductility combinations to the martensite/austenite (α’/γ) mechanical interactions and to the formation of mechanically-induced martensite (α′_mech) through the transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect. An essential role is played by carbon, whose...

The role of the austenite grain size in the martensitic transformation in low carbon steels

There is sufficient experimental evidence to propose that the formation kinetics of athermal martensite directly depends on the austenite grain structure from which the martensite forms. Yet, this dependence is frequently ignored. The present study investigates the role of the prior austenite grain size (PAGS) in the martensitic...

In situ study on fracture behaviour of white etching layers formed on rails

Failure in engineering materials like steels is strongly affected by in-service deleterious alterations in their microstructure. White Etching Layers (WELs) are an example of such in-service alterations in the pearlitic microstructure at the rail surface. Cracks initiate in the rails due to delamination and fracture of these layers and...