Microstructual path analysis of polycrystalline solidification by using multi-phase-field method incorporating a nucleation model

•The multi-phase-field (MPF) method incorporating a continuous nucleation model is developed.•The microstructural path functions are calculated within the framework of the MPF method.•Quantitative differences among various types of transformation kinetics can be identified.

Using the multi-phase-field (MPF) method incorporating a continuous nucleation model, we have revisited polycrystalline solidification described by the KJMA kinetics. Besides the Avrami exponents, the microstructural path functions to quantify the morphological characteristics were calculated within the framework of the MPF method. Our simulation can easily take account of the effects that are difficult to deduce from the conventional KJMA theory such as grain impingement and spatial distribution of crystallite seeds. As a result, quantitative differences among various types of transformation kinetics can be identified.