Multi-Scale Modeling of Microstructure Evolution during Multi-Pass Hot-Rolling and Cooling Process

In this work, a 6-pass hot-rolling process followed by air cooling is studied by means of a coupled multi-scale simulation approach. The finite element method (FEM) is utilized to obtain macroscale thermomechanical parameters including temperature and strain rate. The microstructure evolution during the recrystallization and austenite (gamma) to ferrite (alpha) transformation is simulated by a mesoscale cellular automaton (CA) model. The solute drag effect is included in the CA model to take into account the influence of manganese on the gamma/alpha interface migration. The driving force for alpha-phase nucleation and growth also involves the contribution of the deformation stored energy inherited from hot-rolling. The simulation renders a clear visualization of the evolving grain structure during a multi-pass hot-rolling process. The variations of the nonuniform, deformation-stored energy field and carbon concentration field are also reproduced. A detailed analysis demonstrates how the parameters, including strain rate, grain size, temperature, and inter-pass time, influence the different mechanisms of recrystallization. Grain refinement induced by recrystallization and the gamma ->alpha phase transformation is also quantified. The simulated final alpha-fraction and the average alpha-grain size agree reasonably well with the experimental microstructure.