Patent Document ID: 9476815
Application ID: 13985680
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for preventing mechanical failure of a composite material, wherein the composite material is solid-state and inhomogeneous; wherein the composite material is subject to cyclic loading; and wherein said method comprises the following steps: (a) measuring the temperature of the surface of the composite material, in the vicinity of a location of incipient mechanical failure, using a temperature sensor; (b) approximating the accumulated volumetric entropy production γ in the vicinity of the location of incipient mechanical failure of the composite material, using a processor to approximate the numerical value of γ, using a relationship that is equivalent to: γ = ∫ 0 t ′ ⁢ ( w T + e d T ) ⁢ ⅆ t wherein t denotes the time, t′ denotes the particular time for which γ is being determined, T denotes the temperature of the surface of the composite material in the vicinity of the location of incipient mechanical failure, w denotes the rate of volumetric work of permanent deformation for the composite material, and e d denotes the damage energy; (c) predicting mechanical failure of the composite material when a processor determines that γ is approaching the value of γ f , or is approaching a user-specified fraction of the value of γ f , wherein γ f denotes the mean volumetric fracture fatigue entropy for the composite material; and (d) stopping the cyclic loading of the composite material, using a controller, when γ approaches the value of γ f , or when γ approaches a user-specified fraction of the value of γ f .