Infrared Thermography of Dissipation in Soil

The paper introduces infrared thermography as a noncontact and non-destructive technique that conveniently offers the possibility of evaluating the energy-dissipating ability of soil, traditionally difficult to be determined using traditional techniques. It allows records and observations in real time of heat patterns produced by the dissipation of energy caused by friction between grains. Such dissipative heat occurs when soil is subjected to vibratory loading exceeding the characteristic threshold, and it evidences the distortion mechanism. This energy dissipation mechanism influences the wave speed, intergranular attenuation, and dispersion through particles contacts. The infrared thermographic technique, which couples mechanical and thermal energy, offers the potential of directly monitoring the stress state of particle rearrangement and predicting the macroscopic mechanical response of soils subjected to cyclic vibratory loading