Cycleerosion

Cycleerosion is a form of erosion characterized by the progressive removal of material driven by repeated cyclic stimuli, such as alternating loads, temperature variations, or hydrological cycles. Unlike erosion caused by a single extreme event, cycleerosion results from the cumulative effects of many cycles, each causing small amounts of damage that accumulate over time.

Cycleerosion mechanisms include cyclic fatigue crack initiation and propagation in solid materials, abrasive wear from moving particles during cyclic flow, and thermal expansion and contraction leading to micro-cracking and spalling. In soils and rocks, freeze-thaw cycles can cause water in pores to freeze and expand, weakening the matrix and promoting detachment of grains.

The rate and extent of cycleerosion depend on cycle amplitude, frequency, and duration, as well as material properties such as toughness, porosity, and mineralogy. Moisture, temperature range, and chemical environment also influence damage accumulation. In engineering contexts, cyclic loading can cause wear and surface fatigue, leading to material loss over many cycles.

Examples of cycleerosion include coastal cliffs eroded by tides and waves that rise and fall daily, riverbanks reshaped by seasonal flood cycles, periglacial soils degraded by repeated freeze-thaw, and mechanical components such as gears or turbines subjected to cyclic stresses.

Assessment typically uses cycleerosion rates or wear coefficients, combined with field measurements or laboratory tests. Understanding cycleerosion helps in landscape evolution studies, risk assessment for infrastructure, and the design of more durable materials and protective measures. Mitigation focuses on reducing cycle amplitude, enhancing drainage, using tougher materials, and controlling environmental conditions. See also fatigue, weathering, erosion, tribology.