ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we study the deformation characteristics of a solid material subjected to fatigue loading. We are particularly interested in determining a material’s degradation characteristics in response to entropy generation and accumulation resulting in degradation. In Chapter 4, we defined stress and strain in a mechanical framework without bringing into play any thermodynamics considerations. In this chapter, we proceed to formulate the response of a material to the applied stresses within the context of thermodynamics and show that it provides a useful framework for studying mechanical fatigue.
