Some of the more challenging and significant problems in metals processing and life cycle engineering are listed below:

 

• Constitutive laws for coupling mechanical behavior with microstructure evolution for single and dual phase alloys (Ni base, Ti alloys, steels, Al alloys, Mg alloys, etc.)
• microstructure-sensitive multistage models for fatigue, including process history effects
• formation of subgrain dislocation structures – micromechanics and scaling laws in internal state variable relations
• atomistic modeling of dislocation nucleation and migration in bicrystals and nanocrystals
• coarse-grained atomistic modeling at mesoscales of dislocation mobility and junction interactions, coupling with point defects
• generalized continuum models that address defect (e.g., dislocation) field mechanics, including nonlocal and micropolar models
• strain rate, temperature and deformation history effects, including dynamic plasticity, using advanced micromechanical multiscale internal state variable approaches
• constitutive laws suitable for addressing simulations of rolling, extrusion, sheet forming, deep drawing, machining to support manufacturing applications
• nucleation and growth of voids during primary forming
• multiscale modeling involving many of the processes and mechanisms above

• effects of void nucleation/growth due to shrinkage and gas porosity, morphology of cast microstructures and other defects on fatigue and fracture
• process/microstructure/property relations across material length scales, with emphasis on  fatigue and fracture
• effects of as-printed microstructures for additive manufactured metal alloys on deformation, fatigue and fracture
• uncertainty quantification and advanced data science methods for calibrating models and fusing multiple models under parameter and model form uncertainty