Thermomechanical theory of martensitic phase transformations in inelastic materials (Q1282671)

We present a general thermomechanical theory of martensitic phase transformations (PT) in inelastic materials. The results are derived for small and large strains in the reference and actual configurations. PT is treated as a thermomechanical process of growth of transformation strain from the initial to the final value, which is accompanied by a change in all material properties. The theory is developed first of all for a homogeneously deformed material point (neighborhood) undergoing the PT which can belong to a new nucleus or a moving interface. It is shown that a standard thermodynamical approach cannot be directly applied. It can be applied after the averaging of thermodynamical parameters, related to PT, over a PT duration. PT criterion is derived which takes into account the plastic dissipation, temperature variation due to the PT and variation of internal variables. It is shown that the temperature gradient does not contribute to PT criterion. The twinning criterion is derived as a particular case of the PT criterion. Temperatue variation in the course of PT is determined with the help of the entropy balance equation under the assumption that the process is adiabatic. After the averaging of the PT criterion over the transforming volume, we derive the nucleation and interface propagation criteria, as well as conditions of nondissappearance of nucleus.