Finite element modelling of thermo-mechanical behaviour of a steel strand in continuous casting

An elastic-viscous-plastic constitutive law (Norton-Hoff type) is coupled to a contact law in a finite element code in order to model the behaviour of a steel strand in the mould of a continuous casting machine. Both thermal and mechanical type fields are computed. The objective is to compare for different industrial process conditions the thickness of the solidified shell as well as the stress and strain levels in this layer. More particularly, the model should lead to optimise the taper of the mould for different cross sections of steel strand.