Integrating Dark-Field X-Ray Measurements with Finite Element Method to obtain mechanically-consistent stresses in a deformed single crystal

This project integrates dark-field X-ray microscopy (DFXM) with finite element method (FEM) to refine stress measurement by enforcing mechanical equilibrium and traction-free boundary conditions. An aluminum single crystal will be bent to a known curvature, ensuring a well-defined elastic strain state while exceeding yield to introduce unknown plastic strain. Lattice strain data from three different crystallographic directions together with 2-theta scans with two other sample rotations will be used to reconstruct the full strain tensor. The equilibrium stress distributions will be determined by a stress-based FEM analysis. Geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) densities from DFXM will be compared to curvature-derived and orientation gradient-based estimates to correlate to stress findings. This study will improve stress measurement accuracy and set a new standard for combining synchrotron techniques with computational modelling.