SOME GENERAL-CONSIDERATIONS RELATING TO THE DETERIORATION OF MATERIALS

Material deterioration may lead to damage or to failure. In this paper the concept of material deterioration is defined on the basis of the principle of critical energy. Deterioration can be reversible or irreversible and the relationship expressing it depends upon both the behaviour of the material and the application rate of the exterior action on the material body. The calculation of the reserve of deterioration, both for natural and for artificial, synthetic materials, is also defined and discussed. In general, any natural and artificial process or phenomenon produces a certain irreversible deterioration of the material. The concept presented herein can be applied both to living and to nonliving matter.