Damage characterization in SS 304 due to monotonic loading using infrared thermography

Abstract

During service, materials experience different types of loading: static and dynamic. Depending on the nature and severity of the loading, deformations may be induced leading to damage and degradation of the material. From the laws of thermodynamics, there is a relationship between temperature (evolved) and mechanical loading. During a tensile test, the material absorbs energy to deform. Since most of the (plastic) deformation energy would convert to heat energy, it is therefore possible to estimate the amount of damage (accumulated) by means of analyzing its heat energy dissipation. In this paper, tensile behavior of a stainless steel (SS 304) material is monitored using infrared thermographic technique. The monitored temperature response using IR camera during tensile loading of an as-received and plastically deformed stainless steel SS 304 material is discussed in detail.