Abstract. Traditionally, ultimate tensile strength (UTS) is used as the main property for the characterization of lamellar graphite iron (LGI) alloys under static loads. The main models found in the literature for predicting UTS of pearlitic lamellar graphite iron are based on either regression analysis on experimental data or on modified Griffith or Hall-Petch equation. In pearlitic lamellar graphite iron the primary austenite dendritic network, transformed to pearlite, reinforces the bulk material while the distance between those pearlite grains, defines the maximum continuous defect size in the bulk material. Recently the novel parameter of the Diameter of Interdendritic Space has been used to express the flow length in a modified Griffith equation for the prediction of the UTS in LGI. Nevertheless this model neglects the strengthening effect of the pearlite lamellar spacing within the perlite grains. A model based on modified Hall-Petch equation was developed in this work. The model considers the effect of both microstructure parameters and covers a broad spectrum of microstructure sizes typical for complex shape castings with various wall thicknesses.

Volume change related defects formation mechanisms are an important detracting phenomenon in production of complex shaped cast components. Among different technical alloys, cast iron behaves in a complex manner due to the combined volume change of the formed phases. The liquid and the austenitic phase are contracting while the graphite phase is expanding during the solidification. The complex volume change in combination with complex casting shapes causes a considerable deviation from isotropy in the solidification domain. The mentioned difficulties are considered the main reason why an extensive research work is condensed in the literature within this topic. The multitude of reported experimental set up and the various efforts to interpret the volume change phenomena in terms of density and thermal expansion coefficients makes the results difficult to compare from different sources. With these difficulties in mind, the present paper presents a broad experimental series and measures unidirectional linear deformation of an industrially spread lamellar cast iron alloy system (Fe-C-2Si) using the push-rod based dilatometer technique. The measurements are divided into two major groups with respect to the liquid iron deformation over the liquidus temperature line, and the austenite deformation below the solidus temperature line. The obtained results are interpreted as thermal expansion coefficients, density variation slopes, and density data at the liquids and solidus temperature. The obtained results are compared with literature data and with calculated values by the Thermo Calc software.

This paper investigates the effect of different carbon contents and cooling rates on gray iron tensile properties as well on the formation of different microstructure features. Four heats with increasing amount of carbon were cast. Every heat constituted of three cylinders, each of them surrounded by different materials which provided a wide range of solidification rates. The casting specimens were subjected to tensile test measurements and to microstructure examination. The results indicate a clear correlation between cooling rates, ultimate tensile strength (UTS), carbon content and eutectic cell size. Microscopic analysis shows also a relation between the primary phase’s fraction and the number of the eutectic cells.

Abstract:The literature on density measurements, with a particular interest in methods suitable for liquid cast iron, is reviewed. Different measurement methods based on a number of physical properties are highlighted and compared. Methods for the calculation of density are also reviewed, and the influence of alloying elements on density is, to some extent, discussed. The topic is of essence for the understanding of the material behaviour at solidification, which is pivotal in software applications for casting simulation. Since a deeper understanding of the relationship between the density of liquid cast iron and volume expansion is necessary, the conclusion that further research within the field is needed lies close at hand.

As part of moving towards a sustainable production of diesel engines for heavy vehicle applications, the ability to predict casting defects has become ever so important. In order to model the solidification process for cast components correctly, it is of essence to know how the material will actually behave. To produce sound castings, often of complex geometry, the industry relies on various simulation software for the prediction and avoidance of defects. Thermophysical properties, such as density, play an important part in these simulations.Previous measurements of how the volume of liquid grey iron changes with temperature has been made with a conventional dilatometer. Measurements have also been made in the austenitic range, then on iron-carbon-silicon alloys with a carbon content lower than 1.5 wt%. Based on these measurements the density variations during solidification were calculated. The scope for this paper is to model the volume changes during solidification with the control volume finite difference method, using data from the density measurements.