A high-fidelity crystal-plasticity finite element methodology for low-cycle fatigue using automatic electron backscatter diffraction scan conversion: Application to hot-rolled cobalt–chromium alloy

The common approach to crystal-plasticity finite element modeling for load-bearing prediction of metallic structures involves the simulation simplified grain morphology and substructure detail. This paper details a methodology predicting structure–property effect as-manufactured microstructure, including true orientation, on cyclic plasticity, fatigue crack initiation in biomedical-grade CoCr alloy. generates high-fidelity models, by directly converting measured electron backscatter diffraction metal microstructure maps into microstructural thus captures essential definition improved microstructure–property analyses. diffraction-based method model generation is shown give approximately 10% agreement life prediction, compared with more commonly used Voronoi tessellation method. However, added detail available diffraction–crystal-plasticity did not significantly alter bulk stress–strain response tessellation–crystal-plasticity element. new within strain-gradient also applied predict size effects plasticity initiation, shows concentration geometrically necessary dislocations around boundaries, smaller samples exhibiting higher overall concentrations. In addition, minimum sizes models are proposed hysteresis prediction.