First-Order Phase Transitions and Hysteresis

A simple phase-field model for first-order phase transitions with hysteresis is proposed. It describes both temperature- and stress-induced transitions between austenitic and (oriented) martensitic regimes in a shape memory alloy (SMA). Finally, numerical simulations of local paths of the system are performed in the (ε,σ) and (ε,θ) planes, respectively, when either stress or temperature cyclic processes are considered and phase diffusion is neglected.