Computer Modeling of Solidification Microstructures

Computational modeling assists in addressing the issues of solid/liquid interface dynamics at the microlevel. It also helps to visualize the grain length scale, fraction of phases, or even microstructure transitions through microstructure maps. This article provides a detailed account of the general capabilities of the various models that can generate microstructure maps and thus transform the computer into a dynamic microscope. These include standard transport models, phase-field models, Monte Carlo models, and cellular automaton models.