Predicting mechanical properties of bainitic rail steels based on microstructure digitalization and machine learning

It is usually quite challenging to establish a quantitative chemical composition-microstructure-mechanical property relationship for bainitic steels. In this study, digital information was extracted based on EBSD data of bainitic rail steels, and two machine learning models were built to predict str...

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Main Authors: L.Q. Bai, Z.Y. Ding, J.L. Wang, Z.J. Xie, Z.N. Yang, C.J. Shang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Journal of Materials Research and Technology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425001553
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author L.Q. Bai
Z.Y. Ding
J.L. Wang
Z.J. Xie
Z.N. Yang
C.J. Shang
author_facet L.Q. Bai
Z.Y. Ding
J.L. Wang
Z.J. Xie
Z.N. Yang
C.J. Shang
author_sort L.Q. Bai
collection DOAJ
description It is usually quite challenging to establish a quantitative chemical composition-microstructure-mechanical property relationship for bainitic steels. In this study, digital information was extracted based on EBSD data of bainitic rail steels, and two machine learning models were built to predict strength and impact energy based on chemical compositions and digitalized microstructural features. The models showed excellent prediction accuracy (R2 > 84%) for yield strength, tensile strength and impact energy. All predicted values were within the error range of experimental measured values. Feature importance analysis suggested that C has a beneficial and detrimental effect on the strength and toughness, respectively; while a high block boundary density proved to have a positive effect on toughness, which agrees well with previous experimental observations. The obtained quantitative relationship between chemical composition, microstructure and mechanical properties can serve as a good guideline for the design of bainitic rail steels with an optimized combination of high strength and toughness.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2238-7854
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Journal of Materials Research and Technology
spelling doaj-art-29a56a1bb3e84641930c775b16cb00852025-01-29T05:01:21ZengElsevierJournal of Materials Research and Technology2238-78542025-03-013521362143Predicting mechanical properties of bainitic rail steels based on microstructure digitalization and machine learningL.Q. Bai0Z.Y. Ding1J.L. Wang2Z.J. Xie3Z.N. Yang4C.J. Shang5Collaborative Innovation Center of Steel Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 100083, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 100083, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 100083, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 100083, China; Corresponding author.National Engineering Research Center for Equipment and Technology of Cold Rolled Strip, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004, China; Hebei Iron and Steel Laboratory, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, 063210, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 100083, ChinaIt is usually quite challenging to establish a quantitative chemical composition-microstructure-mechanical property relationship for bainitic steels. In this study, digital information was extracted based on EBSD data of bainitic rail steels, and two machine learning models were built to predict strength and impact energy based on chemical compositions and digitalized microstructural features. The models showed excellent prediction accuracy (R2 > 84%) for yield strength, tensile strength and impact energy. All predicted values were within the error range of experimental measured values. Feature importance analysis suggested that C has a beneficial and detrimental effect on the strength and toughness, respectively; while a high block boundary density proved to have a positive effect on toughness, which agrees well with previous experimental observations. The obtained quantitative relationship between chemical composition, microstructure and mechanical properties can serve as a good guideline for the design of bainitic rail steels with an optimized combination of high strength and toughness.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425001553Machine learningMicrostructure digitalizationCrystallographic featureMechanical propertiesBainitic rail steels
spellingShingle L.Q. Bai
Z.Y. Ding
J.L. Wang
Z.J. Xie
Z.N. Yang
C.J. Shang
Predicting mechanical properties of bainitic rail steels based on microstructure digitalization and machine learning
Journal of Materials Research and Technology
Machine learning
Microstructure digitalization
Crystallographic feature
Mechanical properties
Bainitic rail steels
title Predicting mechanical properties of bainitic rail steels based on microstructure digitalization and machine learning
title_full Predicting mechanical properties of bainitic rail steels based on microstructure digitalization and machine learning
title_fullStr Predicting mechanical properties of bainitic rail steels based on microstructure digitalization and machine learning
title_full_unstemmed Predicting mechanical properties of bainitic rail steels based on microstructure digitalization and machine learning
title_short Predicting mechanical properties of bainitic rail steels based on microstructure digitalization and machine learning
title_sort predicting mechanical properties of bainitic rail steels based on microstructure digitalization and machine learning
topic Machine learning
Microstructure digitalization
Crystallographic feature
Mechanical properties
Bainitic rail steels
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425001553
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AT zyding predictingmechanicalpropertiesofbainiticrailsteelsbasedonmicrostructuredigitalizationandmachinelearning
AT jlwang predictingmechanicalpropertiesofbainiticrailsteelsbasedonmicrostructuredigitalizationandmachinelearning
AT zjxie predictingmechanicalpropertiesofbainiticrailsteelsbasedonmicrostructuredigitalizationandmachinelearning
AT znyang predictingmechanicalpropertiesofbainiticrailsteelsbasedonmicrostructuredigitalizationandmachinelearning
AT cjshang predictingmechanicalpropertiesofbainiticrailsteelsbasedonmicrostructuredigitalizationandmachinelearning