Bogdan Pawłowski

This paper presents a comprehensive study on the strain-induced martensitic transformation and reversion transformation of the strain-induced martensite in AISI 304 stainless steel using a number of complementary techniques such as dilatometry, calorimetry, magnetometry, and in-situ X-ray diffraction, coupled with high-resolution microstructural transmission Kikuchi diffraction analysis. Tensile deformation was applied at temperatures between room temperature and 213 K (−60 °C) in order to obtain a different volume fraction of strain-induced martensite (up to ~70 pct). The volume fraction of the strain-induced martensite, measured by the magnetometric method, was correlated with the total elongation, hardness, and linear thermal expansion coefficient. The thermal expansion coefficient, as well as the hardness of the strain-induced martensitic phase was evaluated. The in-situ thermal treatment experiments showed unusual changes in the kinetics of the reverse transformation (α′ → γ). The X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the reverse transformation may be stress assisted—strains inherited from the martensitic transformation may increase its kinetics at the lower annealing temperature range. More importantly, the transmission Kikuchi diffraction measurements showed that the reverse transformation of the strain-induced martensite proceeds through a displacive, diffusionless mechanism, maintaining the Kurdjumov–Sachs crystallographic relationship between the martensite and the reverted austenite. This finding is in contradiction to the results reported by other researchers for a similar alloy composition.

This paper describe the investigation of a water-expanded rock bolts failed during pressure test (inner water pressure of 330 bar). A main objective of this work was to determine the cracks nucleation and propagation mechanism. It was found that the rock bolts failure was promoted by presence of non-metallic inclusions (mainly long sulphide inclusions) but the primary cause of cracking is strain ageing of steel. Suggestions for improving the behaviour of steel used for water-expanded rock belts by the modification of its chemical composition are proposed finally.

This entry presents a description (including history of designation) of critical points (transformation temperatures) in hypoeutectoid steels. A new approach is proposed to the interpretation of hypoeutectoid steel dilatograms upon heating between austenite start and austenite finish temperatures. The analysis of experimental data (first derivative curves of hypoeutectoid steel-heating dilatograms) can be easily automated by using either dedicated routines or a commercial curve-fitting software. The presented peak-fitting data provide that when a hypoeutectoid steel heats up to between A1 and A3 temperatures, the transformation of ferrite into austenite begins concurrently with the pearlite to austenite transformation.

Dilatometry is the most commonly method of producing CCT diagrams and analyzing phase transformations during cooling (as well as transformations during heating) and it permits the real-time monitoring of the extent of reaction in terms of dimensional changes due to phase transformation. All modern dilatometers are fitted with computerised systems which collect dimensional change signals versus temperature to plot a dilatometric curve and also to calculate and plot the derivative of the relative dimensional change with respect to temperature. Unfortunately, elaborated by dilatometers manufacturers software, in many cases could lead to wrong interpretation of phase transformations during cooling.

The main objective of this work was to determine the effect of different delivery conditions on the accelerated degradation of structural steels used for lifting beams (rails) of the monorail transport systems. Some of these rails, made of the same steel grade as others, undergoes accelerated corrosion in the coal mine environment. Corrosion degradation occurs much faster (more than two times faster), comparing to the same steel grade rails operated under the same conditions but with different microstructures. However, all the provided rails meet the requirements of appropriate standards for steel on the lifting beams of the monorail transport systems. The investigations were carried out on rails made of the same steel grade but with different microstructures and showed that the main factor influencing the accelerated corrosion degradation of tested steels is the delivery condition, so-called “as rolled” condition. The greatest resistance to the accelerated corrosion showed rails in the normalized or normalizing rolling condition.

Cellular automata model for bainitic transformation in steels is presented in the paper. Discrete character of the CA method allowed to reproduce formulation of carbides in the bainitic ferrite. Numerical tests have shown that the model predicts qualitatively well physical phenomena occurring during the bainitic transformation. Although the quantitative accuracy concerning morphology of bainite and kinetics of transformation is not satisfactory, the predictive capabilities of the model are much wider comparing to the existing conventional models. It is expected that further research focused on identification of the model parameters should improve the accuracy noticeably.