Computer-Aided Prediction of Mechanical Properties

This article describes a method to predict mechanical properties of cast iron materials and illustrates how to use the predictions in computer-aided tools for the analysis of castings subjected to load. It outlines some ways to predict the hardness and elastic modulus of cast iron without going into dislocation theory. The article discusses modeling of hardness in cast iron based on a regular solution equation in which the properties of each phase depend on chemical composition and coarseness. It describes the evaluation of material parameters from the tensile stress-strain curve. The article concludes with an illustration of a finite-element method (FEM) model containing heterogeneous mechanical properties using local material definitions.