Micromechanical model of the high temperature cyclic behavior of 9–12%Cr martensitic steels

9–12%Cr quenched and tempered martensitic steels are known to soften under cyclic loadings at high temperature. The present article proposes a model based on physical mechanisms described at the scale of slip systems. This model describes explicitly the microstructural recovery (corresponding to a decrease of the dislocation density and subgrain coarsening) observed experimentally. The scale transition is carried out in the framework of self-consistent homogenization schemes. The model assumptions and its physical basis are explicitly discussed. The parameters are identified on a very limited amount of experimental data. The model turns out to give very good predictions and extrapolations for the cyclic softening effect observed in uniaxial tension–compression loadings for strain ranges larger than 0.3%. Stress–relaxation and creep behavior can also be simulated for high stresses. In addition the cyclic softening effect is reproduced for multiaxial tension–torsion loadings.

► A micromechanical model is proposed to render the cyclic softening effect of martensitic steels.
► The model is based on physically sounded microstructural evolutions.
► The model is able to reproduce the cyclic softening effect.
► The model can also partly render the minimum creep rate, multiaxial loadings and fatigue–relaxation behavior.