Estimation of bainite plate-thickness in low-alloy steels

Published experimental data on the thickness of bainite plates in silicon-rich steels have been analysed in order to develop a quantitative model for the plate-thickness. It is found that the strength of the austenite, and the chemical free energy change accompanying transformation, are by far the most important factors influencing plate-thickness. The transformation temperature does not have any independent effect within the limits of the analysis. These trends are expected from a metallurgical point of view and are discussed in the context of the mechanism of transformation.