Martensite formation in stainless steels under transient loading

We present a 3D elastoplastic phase-field model to study the martensite formation in stainless steels under transient loading. Linear isotropic strain hardening is considered. Our results show that various combinations of martensite variants, which minimize the mechanical energy and maximize the net available driving force, are favored under different transient loading directions. The mechanical properties of steels under transient loading depend on the direction of loading. The areas where the load is applied, i.e. the grain boundaries, become favorable martensite nucleation sites.