Thermoelastic effect in austenitic steel referred to its hardening

The effects of thermomechanical coupling occurring in metal during consecutive tensile tests, were examined. The temperature, stress and strain characteristics were found both in elastic and plastic ranges. The change of the character of the sample temperature was employed as a criterion for the limit between the elastic and plastic regimes. The thermomechanical coupling effects were interpreted in terms of the material micro-structure evolution and referred to its strain hardening degree. A quite precise evaluation of the thermal effects concomitant with the thermoelastic unloading seems to be particularly valuable.