Thermodynamic Degradation Science

Thermodynamic degradation science is a new and exciting discipline. This book merges the science of physics of failure with thermodynamics and shows how degradation modeling is improved and enhanced when using thermodynamic principles. The author also goes beyond the traditional physics of failure methods and highlights the importance of having new tools such as “Mesoscopic” noise degradation measurements for prognostics of complex systems, and a conjugate work approach to solving physics of failure problems with accelerated testing applications. Key features: • Demonstrates how the thermodynamics energy approach uncovers key degradation models and their application to accelerated testing. • Demonstrates how thermodynamic degradation models accounts for cumulative stress environments, effect statistical reliability distributions, and are key for reliability test planning. • Provides coverage of the four types of Physics of Failure processes describing aging: Thermal Activation Processes, Forced Aging, Diffusion, and complex combinations of these. • Coverage of numerous key topics including: aging laws; Cumulative Accelerated Stress Test (CAST) Plans; cumulative entropy fatigue damage; reliability statistics and environmental degradation and pollution. Thermodynamic Degradation Science: Physics of Failure, Accelerated Testing, Fatigue and Reliability Applications is essential reading for reliability, cumulative fatigue, and physics of failure engineers as well as students on courses which include thermodynamic engineering and/or physics of failure coverage.

Degradation is apparent in all things and is fundamental to both manufactured and natural objects. It is often described by the second law of thermodynamics, where entropy, a measure of disorder, tends to increase with time in a closed system. Things age! This concise reference work brings together experts and key players engaged in the physics of degradation to present the background science, current thinking and developments in understanding, and gives a detailed account of emerging issues across a selection of engineering applications. The work has been put together to equip the upper level undergraduate student, postgraduate student, as well as the professional engineer and scientist, in the importance of physics of degradation. The aim of The Physics of Degradation in Engineered Materials and Devices is to bridge the gap between published textbooks on the fundamental science of degradation phenomena and published research on the engineering science of actual fabricated materials and devices. A history of the observation and understanding of physics of degradation is presented and the fundamentals and principles of thermodynamics and entropy are extensively discussed. This is the focus of this book, with an extended chapter by Alec Feinberg on equilibrium thermodynamic damage and non-equilibrium thermodynamic damage. It concludes with two particular technologies to give examples of areas of application.

The second law of thermodynamics is an example of the fundamental laws that govern our universe and is relevant to every branch of science exploring the physical world. This reference summarizes knowledge and concepts about the second law of thermodynamics and entropy. A verbatim explanation of chemical thermodynamics is presented by the author, making this text easy to understand for chemistry students, researchers, non-experts, and educators.

Practical Chemical Thermodynamics for Geoscientists covers classical chemical thermodynamics and focuses on applications to practical problems in the geosciences, environmental sciences, and planetary sciences. This book will provide a strong theoretical foundation for students, while also proving beneficial for earth and planetary scientists seeking a review of thermodynamic principles and their application to a specific problem. Strong theoretical foundation and emphasis on applications Numerous worked examples in each chapter Brief historical summaries and biographies of key thermodynamicists--including their fundamental research and discoveries Extensive references to relevant literature

Fatigue is probabilistic in nature and involves a complex spectrum of loading history with variable amplitudes and frequencies. Yet most available fatigue failure prediction methods are empirical and concentrate on very specific types of loading. Taking a different approach, Introduction to Thermodynamics of Mechanical Fatigue examines the treatment of fatigue via the principles of thermodynamics. It starts from the premise that fatigue is a dissipative process and must obey the laws of thermodynamics. In general, it can be hypothesized that mechanical degradation is a consequence of irreversible thermodynamic processes. This suggests that entropy generation offers a natural measure of degradation. An Entropic Approach to Fatigue and Degradation Drawing on recent cutting-edge research and development, the authors present a unified entropic approach to problems involving fatigue. They introduce the fundamentals of fatigue processes and explore a wide range of practical engineering applications. Fundamental Concepts and Methodologies The book reviews commonly observed failure modes, discusses how to analyze fatigue problems, and examines the deformation characteristics of a solid material subjected to fatigue loading. It also looks at how to use thermodynamics to determine the onset of fatigue failure. In addition, the book presents methodologies for improving fatigue life and for accelerated fatigue testing. Learn How to Apply the Entropic Approach to Fatigue Problems Comprehensive and well organized, this work helps readers apply powerful thermodynamics concepts to effectively treat fatigue problems at the design stage. It offers an accessible introduction to a new and exciting area of research in the field of fatigue failure analysis.