Computer simulations of realistic microstructures of discontinuously reinforced aluminum alloy (DRA) composites

A new methodology is presented for computer simulations of realistic microstructures of discontinuously reinforced metal matrix composites that incorporates realistic complex particle morphologies/shapes and realistic spatially non-uniform (clustered) distributions of particles. The methodology permits simulations of sufficiently large microstructural windows that incorporate short-range (of the order of particle/feature size) as well as long-range (100 times the particle/feature size) microstructural heterogeneities and spatial patterns at high resolution (similar to 0.2 mu m pixel size). Two-point correlation functions are used for microstructure representation. Two-point correlation functions of simulated microstructures are matched closely with those of the corresponding real microstructures. Correlations of simulation parameters with process parameters enable simulations of virtual microstructures of composites that have not been fabricated. (c) 2006 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.