Mesoscale deformation and cracking of surface-hardened low carbon steel

Mesoscale deformation patterns of surface-hardened low-carbon steel is inve stigated by using the television-optical measuring technique (TOMSC-1). Sur face hardening was performed by diffusion berating to produce a hardened la yer with a heterogeneous structure. Plastic flow at the mesoscale level was observed for primary mesovolume in the form of triangular prism. Self-orga nization of neighboring primary mesovolume gives rise to formation specimen macrostructure. At certain thickness of berated layer, the tensile elongat ion is increased by 30% for specimens with brittle-hardened layer when comp ared with unhardened specimens. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights r eserved.