The paper introduces infrared thermography as a non-contact and non-destructive technique that conveniently offers the possibility of evaluating the energy-dissipating ability of soil, generally 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 mechanisminfluences the wave propagation, 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, dynamic or vibratory loading. In addition, infrared thermography evidences the fuse effect of soil, capable to mitigate significantly the earthquake loading on engineering structures. 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.