Phase Transitions in Inelastic Materials at Finite Strains: A Local Description

Abstract
A general theory of phase transitions (PT) in the material point of simple inelastic materials with arbitrary constitutive equations is developed. The standard thermodynamical approach can be applied only after averaging of thermodynamical parameters, related to PT, over a PT duration. A PT criterion for the material point is derived, taking into account the temperature variation and dissipation due to PT, as well as internal variables. Temperature variation in the course of PT is determined with the help of the entropy balance equation under the assumption that the process is adiabatic. Based on results for the material point, new nucleation and interface propagation criteria are derived. A postulate of realizability is applied to determine all unknown parameters in PT criteria. A model problem is solved.