The annealing behavior of three HSLA steels is studied using the combined techniques of EBSD-KAM and Sub-grain Method. These techniques have been successfully used to assess the annealing behavior of AK, IF and other high strength steels. Stored energy maps in the hot band, cold rolled and after annealing are constructed and analyzed. The combined usage of the Sub-grain Method and EBSD-KAM techniques are employed to calculate and compare the evolution of the stored energy and recrystallization behaviour during the annealing of Ti-bearing, Nb-bearing, and V-bearing HSLA steels. Orientation dependent stored energy distribution maps at different annealing stages are constructed and analysed. The results show that the stored energy distribution through the thickness of the samples is not uniform and is independent of the steel composition. Similarly the recrystallization behaviour is strongly related to the initial microstructural condition and particularly to the grain boundary character distribution of the steels.
