A Multi-modal Data Merging Framework for Correlative Investigation of Strain Localization in Three Dimensions

A multi-modal data-merging framework that enables the reconstruction of slip bands in three dimensions over millimeter-scale fields of view is presented. The technique combines 3D electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) measurements with high-resolution digital image correlation (HR-DIC) information collected in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). A typical merging workflow involves the segmentation of features within the strain field (slip bands, deformation twins) and the microstructure (grains), alignment of datasets and the projection of slip bands into the 3D microstructure, using the knowledge of the local crystallographic orientation. This method is demonstrated in two materials: a face-centered cubic (FCC) nickel-base superalloy and hexagonal close-packed (HCP) titanium alloy.