3D coupled thermo-mechanical phase-field modeling of shape memory alloy dynamics via isogeometric analysis

The paper focuses on numerical simulation of the 3D phase-field (PF) equations for modeling cubic-to-tetragonal martensitic transformations in shape memory alloys (SMAs), their complex microstructures and thermo-mechanical behavior. The straightforward solution to the fourth-order diffuse interface 3D PF equations, based on the Landau-Ginzburg potential, is numerically solved using an isogeometric analysis. We present microstructure evolution in different geometries of SMA nanostructures under temperature-induced phase transformations to illustrate the geometrical flexibility, accuracy and robustness of our approach. The simulations successfully capture the dynamic thermo-mechanical behavior of SMAs observed experimentally. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.