Three-dimensional sampling of material structure for property modeling and design

Newly developed 3-D tomographic techniques permit acquisition of quantitative materials data for input to structure-property models. At the mesoscale, techniques that enable sampling of larger material volumes provide information such as grain size and morphology, 3-D interfacial character, and chemical gradients. However, systematic approaches for determining the characteristic material volume for 3-D analysis have yet to be established. In this work, the variability in properties due to microstructure is discussed in the context of a methodology for defining volume elements that link microstructure, properties, and design. As such, we propose a 3-D sampling methodology based on convergence of microstructural parameters and associated properties and design considerations.