Studying the Damage Evolution and the Micro-Mechanical Response of X8CrMnNi16-6-6 TRIP Steel Matrix and 10% Zirconia Particle Composite Using a Calibrated Physics and Crystal-Plasticity-Based Numerical Simulation Model

The mechanical behavior of newly developed composite materials is dependent on several underlying microstructural phenomena. In this research, a periodic 2D geometry of cast X8CrMnNi16-6-6 steel and 10% zirconia composite is virtually constructed by adopting microstructural attributes from literature. A physics-based crystal plasticity model with ductile damage criterion is used for defining the austenitic steel matrix. The zirconia particles are assigned elastic material model with brittle damage criterion. Monotonic quasi-static tensile load is applied up to 17% of total strain. The simulation results are analyzed to extract the global and local deformation, transformation, and damage behavior of the material. The comprehensively constructed simulation model yields the interdependence of the underlaying microstructural deformation phenomena. The local results are further analyzed based on the interlocked and free regions to establish the influence of zirconia particles on micro-mechanical deformation and damage in the metastable austenite matrix. The trends and patterns of local strain and damage predicted by the simulation model results match the previously carried out in-situ tensile tests on similar materials