Crystal Plasticity Finite Element Analysis For Rene88dt Statistical Volume Element Generation

This work focuses on the major cause of life limiting behavior in Ni-based superalloys for high pressure and temperature turbine disks applications in low cycle fatigue. Specific ideas of local microstructure features, such as the role of as large as (ALA) grains, in promoting slip localization in directly measured 3D microstructures were tested with finite element method (FEM) simulations with crystal plasticity. Synthetic microstructures with experimentally determined microstructurally small fatigue crack weakest link features of ALA grains comprise the test cases. A Rene88 damage tolerant (R88DT) dataset, from electron backscatter diffraction, was used to instantiate approximately 1.5 million elements and 200 grains from FEM sensitivity studies. Changing mesh resolution minimally impacted global damage response, but local convergence required the maximum resolution. The present results help to quantify the deleterious impact of ALA grains in Ni-based superalloys to extend service life.