A phenomenological approach to micromagnetics in martensitic steels

A series of applied field measurements have been done on rods of martensiti c steel using a BH-permeameter incorporated into a stress-strain apparatus. Zero stress measurements have been cross-checked using a VSM. For the unst ressed steel, it is shown that it is necessary to adapt the Jiles-Atherton model to account for a significant departure in the virgin and demagnetisat ion curves from that predicted in the standard model. The adapted model giv es a good description of magnetisation changes for points on the curve and provides an insight into the reversal mechanism in martensitic steel. Measu rements under stress indicate that the nature of the reversal mechanism is stress dependent. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.