Developing in situ testing capability for high resolution 3D strain and orientation mapping

The current work is part of a multi-university programme in the UK that aims to improve lifespan and operational efficiency of energy generation plants by studying degradation mechanisms of 316 austenitic stainless steel, a common material used for structural components. The overall project uses a multi-scale experimental approach that merges computational modelling with state-of-the-art experimental techniques to create an unprecedented comprehensive characterisation of structural materials behaviour. Dark Field X-ray Microscopy (DFXM) experiments, correlated to on-going HR-EBSD and DIC work, will enable 3D mapping at nanoscale to improve our models by obtaining strain distribution within a grain of interest. The results will help understand the effect of localised strain fields on crack growth in demanding environments. The proposed work will build on experiment MA-6043 (June 2024) and will develop in situ (i.e., applied dynamic loading + environmental exposure) capability at ID03.