Phase-field modeling of martensitic microstructure with inhomogeneous elasticity.

A phase-field model accounting for elastic inhomogeneity is established for microstructure study in martensitic materials. It is motivated by Hashin-Shtrikman variational formulation by introducing a homogeneous comparison medium and a polarized stress field. As a result, the driving force due to stress can be computed in the equivalent homogeneous medium since it is formally identical to that in the actual inhomogeneous solid. The model is applied to the simulations of three-dimensional self-accommodation patterns of microstructure for tetragonal and trigonal martensite. The results show that the former is an atypical pattern while the latter exhibits a common herringbone structure. Finally, the proposed framework also offers advantages of modeling other phase-transforming materials with ability in domain simulations together with effective properties as byproduct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]