Reliability-based computational model for material development and structural design

This paper discusses a methodology to aid in the design and to predict the reliability of metallic components using probabilistic microstructural fatigue models. The capabilities are aimed at predicting the variation in fatigue life based on the statistical variation of the microstructure of the material. Material parameters at metallic grain level are used along with fundamental physics-based models to predict the damage as it accumulates. The methods use a virtual prototyping technique relying on computer simulation of real material behaviour. The computer simulates many "identical" components, but uses a different sample of material microstructure for each simulation. The microstructure of each simulated component is properly sampled from the specified range of material parameters. Each of the components is then virtually tested using computer models to simulate real-world usage conditions. The virtual testing allows the "gathering" of data on thousands or even millions of components.