Energy dissipation in the course of the fatigue degradation: Mathematical derivation and experimental quantification

This paper is concerned with a continuum formulation for irreversible energy dissipation that accounts for generated acoustic emissions during the loading of the materials. Within a thermodynamically consistent framework, the coupling between the mechanical, thermal and acoustic fields is formulated. The evolution of the dissipative energy is experimentally measured as the material is degraded. A statistically similar behavior is observed in different forms of the dissipated energy as the material degrades.