Simulation of Microstructural Evolution during Superplastic Deformation

Superplastic tensile deformation is simulated in 2 dimensions by incorporating grain boundary diffusion and concurrent grain growth derived from static and dynamic growth mechanisms. The following relationship is found between microstructural changes and deformation behavior for constant stress conditions. Grain boundary diffusion produces an increase in the aspect ratio of the matrix grains during deformation and the increased aspect ratio causes a change in creep rate parameters: the stress exponent is decreased from the initial value of 1.0 for equiaxed grains and the grain size exponent is increased from the initial value of 3.0. Accelerated grain growth is also found by the present simulation.