Load partitioning between single bulk grains in a two-phase duplex stainless steel during tensile loading

The lattice strain tensor evolution for single bulk grains of austenite and ferrite in a duplex stainless steel during tensile loading to 0.02 applied strain has been investigated using in situ high-energy X-ray measurements and finite-element modeling. Single-grain X-ray diffraction lattice strain data for the eight austenite and seven ferrite grains measured show a large variation of residual lattice strains, which evolves upon deformation to the point where some grains with comparable crystallographic orientations have lattice strains different by 1.5 × 10−3, corresponding to a stress of ∼300 MPa. The finite-element simulations of the 15 measured grains in three different spatial arrangements confirmed the complex deformation constraint and importance of local grain environment.