Landau modeling of dynamical nucleation of martensite at grain boundaries under local stress

The dynamical nucleation of martensite in polycrystals is simulated by means of Lagrange–Rayleigh

dynamics with Landau energetics, which is capable of obtaining the local stress as a result of the interplay

of the potential of transformation and external loadings. By monitoring the spatio-temporal distribution

of the strain in response to the local stress, we demonstrate that the postcursors, high angle grain boundaries

and triple junctions act as favorable heterogeneous nucleation sites corresponding to different loading

and cooling conditions, and predict the phase diagram of the nucleation mode of martensite.