Spatial statistical characterization and simulation of microtexture

Microtexture has been found to affect the macro-scale behavior of materials in many ways. For example, in titanium alloys, microtexture regions are preferential sites of fatigue crack formation. Also, yield strength and fatigue life have been shown to be affected by the microtexture. Despite the consensus on the importance of the presence of microtextured regions in polycrystals, no standard methods exist to statistically characterize these regions. The only published method for simulation of microtexture does not take into account the spatial nature of the regions. In this work, it is proposed that microtexture may be characterized with spatial statistics. Methods were also developed for simulation of microtexture. Characterization of microtexture regions allows for quantitative comparison of different materials and different thermal-mechanical processing routes. Simulation of microtexture regions allows for prediction of bulk material properties from micro-scale models. Combining the characterization and simulation methods proposed in this work will allow for optimization of material processing for improved material properties and performance.