damage

Damage is the impairment of the functionality, integrity, or value of a physical object, system, or organism caused by external agents or processes. The term is used across disciplines, including engineering, physics, medicine, and law, and can describe immediate injury or cumulative degradation over time.

In engineering and materials science, damage refers to changes in material properties that reduce performance, such as cracks, delamination, corrosion, or wear. In medicine, damage denotes injury to tissues or organs. In legal and insurance contexts, damage denotes loss or injury that may be compensated financially.

Common types include physical damage (fracture, deformation), cosmetic damage (scratches, surface blemishes), structural damage (compromised strength), environmental damage (contamination, leakage), and functional damage (loss of capability).

Causes include mechanical loading (impacts, fatigue), thermal stress, chemical attack (corrosion, oxidation), radiation, moisture ingress, and biological factors. Damage can be instantaneous or progressive and may interact with design features such as redundancy or protective coatings.

Assessment methods vary by domain but generally involve locating and measuring the extent of impairment and its impact on performance. Tools include visual inspection, nondestructive testing, imaging, mechanical testing, and inspection protocols.

Prevention and mitigation focus on design for durability, material selection, protective finishes, maintenance schedules, condition monitoring, and redundancy. After damage occurs, mitigation aims to contain, repair, or replace affected parts and to restore function.

In law and insurance, damages denote claims for monetary compensation for losses suffered, including actual damages and, in some systems, punitive damages.