The average grain size is closely related to the strain rate and temperature-dependent assemblage of fabric modifying mechanisms.

A predominance of grain boundary migration recrystallization in the HT-LS experiments leads to a continuous increase in grain size, whereas grain size decreases in the IT-HS runs. This grain size reduction is related to subgrain rotation recrystallization. In the HT-HS experiments, subgrain rotation in the first transient stage is associated with grain size reduction, but intensified gbm during the second transient stage leads to grain growth.