Implementation and verification of a microstructure-based capability for modeling microcrack nucleation in LSHR at room temperature

A microstructure-based capability for forecasting microcrack nucleation in the nickel-based superalloy LSHR is proposed, implemented, and partially verified. Specifically, gradient crystal plasticity is applied to finite-element models of the experimentally measured, 3D microstructure wherein a microcrack is known to have nucleated along a coherent Sigma 3 boundary. The framework is used to analyze this particular nucleation event and conduct an extensive grain boundary analysis study, the results of which underpin the importance that elastic anisotropy and coherency have in the localization of plastic slip.