Damage in advanced high-strength steels: Experimental characterization and modeling

This chapter outlines the historical progress of advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) used in the transportation sector, particularly by the automotive industry, with attention to the projected governmental targets for reducing CO2 emissions. The current generations of AHSS fulfill such requirements as complex multiphase microstructures and strain-assisted phase transformations might provide excellent strength-ductility. However, their rather complex microstructural features still pose challenges for predicting stamped components’ mechanical and failure behaviors in manufacturing processes and in-service conditions. The reported damage mechanisms in AHSS are reviewed from in-situ and interrupted mechanical testing characterizations. The damage of AHSS is also recalled based on the (i) micromechanical modeling of the nucleation, growth, and coalescence of voids and (ii) representative volume elements to understand the global and local aspects of the fracture behavior.