Analysis of transformations nucleated on non-random sites simulated by cellular automata in three dimensions

Abstract

Cellular automata simulation in three dimensions is carried out to simulate microstrutural evolution for nuclei distribution ranging from a periodic arrangement to clusters of nuclei. The effect of clustering in three dimensions is found to be much more difficult to detect using conventional microstructural path analysis than in two dimensions. Microstructural path equations fit simulated data well, even when the nuclei are non-randomly located. However, the parameters obtained by means of this fitting lead to erroneous time dependent velocities. Therefore, measuring a descriptor that is sensitive to non-randomness such as the contiguity is even more important in three than in two dimensions.