A generic model to predict the ultimate tensile strength in pearlitic lamellar graphite iron

In pearlitic lamellar graphite iron the primary austenite transformed to pearlite reinforces the bulk material while the graphite flakes which are embedded in an iron matrix reduce the strength of the material. Nevertheless a dominant parameter which can be used to define the tensile strength is the characteristic distance between the pearlite grains defined as the maximum continuous defect size in the bulk material, which in this work is expressed by the newly introduced parameter the Diameter of Interdendritic Space. The model presented here covers the whole spectrum of carbon content from eutectic to hypoeutectic composition, solidified at different cooling rates typical for both thin and thick walled complex shaped castings.