A coupled simulation method is developed by using a Multi-Phase-Field (MPF) method that is recognized as a powerful numerical method for simulating microstructure formation in material and ElastoPlastic Finite Element Analysis (EP-FEA) based on a homogenization method. We apply the developed simulation method to investigate the deformation behavior of DP steel that includes various volume fractions and morphologies of the ferrite (α) phase. To obtain morphological information on the α phase of DP steel, we performed MPF simulation of austenite-to-ferrite (γ → α) transformation during continuous cooling transformation. MPF simulation gives us the digital image of the distribution of the simulated α phase. Furthermore, we model the representative volume element, which describes the DP microstructure, on the basis of the obtained morphology of the α phase, and perform tension-compression testing of DP steel, including the simulated α phase. Through these simulations, it is confirmed that the developed simulation method enables us to clarify the effect of the volume fraction and the configuration of the α phase on macroscopic deformation behavior of DP steel, such as the Bauschinger effect.
Discrete and Phase Field Methods for Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics: A Comparative Study and State-of-the-Art Review