Thermomechanical Processing of HSLA Steels - Towards Through Process Models

There is increased pressure to accelerate the development of new steel grades both for economic and environmental reasons. The development cycle can be shorten through the use of physics-based process models. In this presentation, I will review our efforts to model microstructure evolution in the hot-mill. I will start by reviewing physics-based models for grain-growth, recovery, recrystallization and precipitation and demonstrate how these models can accurate capture the grain size and flow stress evolution during the thermomechanical processing of microalloyed steels. I will then discuss the integration of these microstructure evolution models into process models to allow the prediction of critical quantities such as the mill loads. Finally, the possibility of developing optimizers to identify new steel chemistries and thermomechanical processing parameters that would allow the user to achieve specific targets will be discussed. 

Dr. Zurob obtained his PhD from McMaster University in 2003. He held post doctoral fellowships at the Grenoble institute and Technology and Oxford University prior to joining McMaster as an Assistant Professor in 2005. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2012 and Professor in 2017. Dr. Zurob is presently serving as Chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

The aim of Dr. Zurob’s research is to understand and control microstructure development in engineering materials with the goal of optimizing mechanical properties. The applicant has made significant contributions to the areas of thermomechanical processing, recrystallization modelling, functionally-graded materials, austenite decomposition and structure property relationships. Dr. Zurob is recipient of several prestigious awards including Sawamura Award and Guimaraise Award of ISIJ and the Best Young Researcher Award of Internationally Recrystallization and Grain Growth Conference. In addition, Dr. Zurob is a dedicated educator who was recognized by several teaching awards at McMaster. Dr. Zurob is also an active participant in professional societies including ASM, TMS and ASM Materials Camps Canada.