Asymptotic justification of the intrinsic equations of Koiter's model of a linearly elastic shell

We show that the intrinsic equations of Koiter's model of a linearly elastic shell can be derived from the intrinsic formulation of the three-dimensional equations of a linearly elastic shell, by using an appropriate a priori assumption regarding the three-dimensional strain tensor fields appearing in these equations. To this end, we recast in particular the Dirichlet boundary conditions satisfied by any admissible displacement field as boundary conditions satisfied by the covariant components of the corresponding strain tensor field expressed in the natural curvilinear coordinates of the shell. Then we show that, when restricted to strain tensor fields satisfying a specific a priori assumption, these new boundary conditions reduce to those of the intrinsic equations of Koiter's model of a linearly elastic shell.     

The Green rings of pointed tensor categories of finite type

In this paper, we compute the Clebsch–Gordan formulae and the Green rings of connected pointed tensor categories of finite type.     

Quasistatic anti-plane motion in the simplest theory of nonlinear viscoelasticity

We consider a very simple model in the framework of differential viscoelastic materials which are isotropic and incompressible. In this model the Cauchy stress tensor is split in an elastic part and a dissipative part. The elastic part is derived from a strain-energy density function only of the first invariant of the Cauchy–Green strain tensor. The dissipative part is like the Navier–Stokes equations: linear in the stretching tensor with a constant viscosity parameter. For this model we provide some time and spatial estimates in the quasistatic approximations for the equations governing anti-plane shear motions. Several explicit examples for specific form of the strain energy are produced. Our results impose analytical restrictions on the mathematical properties of the strain energy to ensure a physical behavior in the creep and recovery experiments. Moreover, we show polynomial decay for the spatial behavior in the class of stress-hardening (or strain-stiffening) materials. For stress-softening materials a Phragmen–Lindelof alternative is proved.     

A quasistatic evolution model for perfectly plastic plates derived by Γ-convergence

The subject of this paper is the rigorous derivation of a quasistatic evolution model for a linearly elastic–perfectly plastic thin plate. As the thickness of the plate tends to zero, we prove via Γ-convergence techniques that solutions to the three-dimensional quasistatic evolution problem of Prandtl–Reuss elastoplasticity converge to a quasistatic evolution of a suitable reduced model. In this limiting model the admissible displacements are of Kirchhoff–Love type and the stretching and bending components of the stress are coupled through a plastic flow rule. Some equivalent formulations of the limiting problem in rate form are derived, together with some two-dimensional characterizations for suitable choices of the data.     

Two formulations of elastoplastic problems and the theoretical determination of the location of neck formation in samples under tension

Two formulations of elastoplastic problems in the mechanics of deformable solids with finite displacements and deformations are investigated. The first of these is formulated starting from the classical geometrically non-linear equations of the theory of elasticity and plasticity, in which the components of the Cauchy–Green strain tensor, associated with the components of the conditional stress tensor by physically non-linear relations according to flow theory in the simplest version of their representation, are taken as a measure of the deformations. The second formulation is based on the introduction of the true tensile and shear strains which, according to Novoshilov, are associated with the components of the true stresses by physical relations of the above-mentioned form. It is shown that, in the second version of the formulation of the problem, the use of the corresponding equations, complied taking account of the elastoplastic properties of the material with correct modelling of the ends of cylindrical samples and the method of loading (stretching) them, enables the location of the formation of a neck to be determined theoretically and enables the initial stage of its formation to be described without making any assumptions regarding the existence of initial irregularities in the geometry of the samples.     

Concentrators of deformations and fracture of plastic bodies

An approach to the investigation of shape discontinuity regions as strain concentrators is proposed. The near-concentrator strain fields are determined on the basis of the theory of ideal rigid-plastic body; under the condition of plane deformation, their determination is reduced to integration of ordinary differential equations. The deformation as a function of the location of the plastic region and its shape evolution in the process of plastic flow is studied. The plastic flow is demonstrated to be not unique (within the framework of solution completeness). A deformation criterion for the choice of the preferred plastic flow is suggested. The fracture of a V-notched strip is considered. On the basis of the solutions obtained, an approach to the investigation of the fracture processes for more complicated models is formulated.     

Boundary optimal control for nonlinear antiplane problems

We consider a nonlinear antiplane problem which models the deformation of an elastic cylindrical body in frictional contact with a rigid foundation. The contact is modelled with Tresca’s law of dry friction in which the friction bound is slip dependent.The aim of this article is to study an optimal control problem which consists of leading the stress tensor as close as possible to a given target, by acting with a control on the boundary of the body. The existence of at least one optimal control is proved. Next we introduce a regularized problem, depending on a small parameter ρ, and we study the convergence of the optimal controls when ρ tends to zero. An optimality condition is delivered for the regularized problem.     

A multiplicative method of solving boundary value problems of shell theory

The boundary conditions are transferred to an arbitrarily chosen point by multiplication of matrices (multiplicatively). The transfer matrices of the boundary conditions are an analytic solution of a system of first-order linear ordinary differential equations in canonical form of the mechanics of the deformation of shells in the form of values of Cauchy–Krylov functions. At an arbitrarily chosen point, the boundary conditions are combined in a system of algebraic equations in matrix form, columns of the unknown quantities of which are parameters of the required values of the problem. The effectiveness of the method – the simplicity with which it can be realized on a computer, the low costs of computer time and the RAM – is based on the multiplicative transfer of the boundary conditions into matrix form. The class of problems is limited by the possibilities of the Fourier method of separation of the variables in partial differential equations.     

Cauchy–Dirichlet problem for second-order hyperbolic equations in cylinders with non-smooth base

This paper is concerned with the smoothness of generalized solutions of the Cauchy–Dirichlet problem for the second-order hyperbolic equation in domains with a conical point.     

On frequency–amplitude dependences for surface and internal standing waves

The analytic approach proposed by Sekerzh-Zenkovich [On the theory of standing waves of finite amplitude, Dokl. Akad. Nauk USSR 58 (1947) 551–554] is developed in the present study of standing waves. Generalizing the solution method, a set of standing wave problems are solved, namely, the infinite- and finite-depth surface standing waves and the infinite- and finite-depth internal standing waves. Two-dimensional wave motion of an irrotational incompressible fluid in a rectangular domain is considered to study weakly nonlinear surface and internal standing waves. The Lagrangian formulation of the problems is used and the fifth-order perturbation solutions are determined. Since most of the approximate analytic solutions to these problems were obtained using the Eulerian formulation, the comparison of the results, as an example the analytic frequency–amplitude dependences, obtained in Lagrangian variables with the corresponding ones known in Eulerian variables has been carried out in the paper. The analytic frequency–amplitude dependences are in complete agreement with previous results known in the literature. Computer algebra procedures were written for the construction of asymptotic solutions. The application of the model constructed in Lagrangian formulation to a set of different problems shows the ability to correctly reproduce and predict a wide range of situations with different characteristics and some advantages of Lagrangian particle models (for example, the bigger radius of convergence of an expansion parameter than in Eulerian variables, simplification of the boundary conditions, parametrization of a free boundary).     

Elastic and electro-magnetic waves in infinite waveguides

We consider initial-boundary value problems for the equations of isotropic elasticity for several mixed boundary conditions in infinite wave guides, as well as Maxwell equations. With the help of decompositions of the displacement field into divergence- and curl-free parts, respectively, which are compatible with the boundary conditions, we obtain sharp decay rates for the solutions. The decomposed systems correspond to the second-order Maxwell equations for the electric and the magnetic field with electric and magnetic boundary conditions, respectively.     

Application of He's variational iteration method for solving the Cauchy reaction–diffusion problem

In this paper, the solution of Cauchy reaction–diffusion problem is presented by means of variational iteration method. Reaction–diffusion equations have special importance in engineering and sciences and constitute a good model for many systems in various fields. Application of variational iteration technique to this problem shows the rapid convergence of the sequence constructed by this method to the exact solution. Moreover, this technique does not require any discretization, linearization or small perturbations and therefore it reduces significantly the numerical computations.     

Intrinsic formulation of the displacement-traction problem in linear shell theory

We recast the Dirichlet boundary conditions satisfied by the displacement field of the middle surface of a linearly elastic shell as boundary conditions satisfied by the corresponding linearized change of metric and of curvature tensor fields. This in turn allows us to give an intrinsic formulation of the linear shell model of W.T. Koiter with these two tensor fields as the sole unknowns.     

Formulation and analysis of two energy-consistent methods for nonlinear elastodynamic frictional contact problems

Energy-conserving algorithms are necessary to solve nonlinear elastodynamic problems in order to recover long term time integration accuracy and stability. Furthermore, some physical phenomena (such as friction) can generate dissipation; then in this work, we present and analyse two energy-consistent algorithms for hyperelastodynamic frictional contact problems which are characterised by a conserving behaviour for frictionless impacts but also by an admissible frictional dissipation phenomenon. The first approach permits one to enforce, respectively, the Kuhn–Tucker and persistency conditions during each time step by combining an adapted continuation of the Newton method and a Lagrangean formulation. In addition the second method which is based on the work in [P. Hauret, P. Le Tallec, Energy-controlling time integration methods for nonlinear elastodynamics and low-velocity impact, Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng. 195 (2006) 4890–4916] represents a specific penalisation of the unilateral contact conditions. Some numerical simulations are presented to underscore the conservative or dissipative behaviour of the proposed methods.     

Regularity of the American Put option in the Black–Scholes model with general discrete dividends

We analyze the regularity of the value function and of the optimal exercise boundary of the American Put option when the underlying asset pays a discrete dividend at known times during the lifetime of the option. The ex-dividend asset price process is assumed to follow the Black–Scholes dynamics and the dividend amount is a deterministic function of the ex-dividend asset price just before the dividend date. This function is assumed to be non-negative, non-decreasing and with growth rate not greater than 1. We prove that the exercise boundary is continuous and that the smooth contact property holds for the value function at any time but the dividend dates. We thus extend and generalize the results obtained in Jourdain and Vellekoop (2011) [10] when the dividend function is also positive and concave. Lastly, we give conditions on the dividend function ensuring that the exercise boundary is locally monotonic in a neighborhood of the corresponding dividend date.     

Transient response of a semi-infinite piezoelectric layer with a surface permeable crack

The transient response of a semi-infinite transversely isotropic piezoelectric layer containing a surface crack is analyzed for the case where anti-plane mechanical and in-plane electric impacts are suddenly exerted at the layer end. The integral transform techniques are used to reduce the associated mixed initial boundary value problem to a singular integral equation of the first kind, which can be solved numerically via the Lobatto–Chebyshev collocation technique. Dynamic field intensity factors are determined by employing a numerical inversion of the Laplace transform. The dynamic stress intensity factors are presented graphically and the effects of the material properties and geometric parameters are examined. Received: June 30, 2003     

The boundary regularity of non-linear parabolic systems I

This is the first part of a work aimed at establishing that for solutions to Cauchy–Dirichlet problems involving general non-linear systems of parabolic type, almost every parabolic boundary point is a Hölder continuity point for the spatial gradient of solutions. Here we develop the basic necessary and sufficient condition for establishing the regular nature of a boundary point.     

Existence and uniqueness for a nonlinear parabolic/Hamilton–Jacobi coupled system describing the dynamics of dislocation densities

We study a mathematical model describing the dynamics of dislocation densities in crystals. This model is expressed as a 1D system of a parabolic equation and a first order Hamilton–Jacobi equation that are coupled together. We examine an associated Dirichlet boundary value problem. We prove the existence and uniqueness of a viscosity solution among those assuming a lower-bound on their gradient for all time including the initial time. Moreover, we show the existence of a viscosity solution when we have no such restriction on the initial data. We also state a result of existence and uniqueness of entropy solution for the initial value problem of the system obtained by spatial derivation. The uniqueness of this entropy solution holds in the class of bounded-from-below solutions. In order to prove our results on the bounded domain, we use an “extension and restriction” method, and we exploit a relation between scalar conservation laws and Hamilton–Jacobi equations, mainly to get our gradient estimates.     

A Saint-Venant principle for shear band localization

A type of Saint-Venant principle is derived for a two-dimensional model of shear band formation in thermoviscoplastic solids. To establish that the thermal energy generated during the formation process remains highly localized, a spatially decaying upper bound on the temperature is derived. It is found that the temperature bound decays exponentially along the direction perpendicular to the band, with a rate that decreases in time. The result is established by using maximum principles for second-order nonlinear parabolic partial differential equations.Mathematics Subject Classification (2000). 74C20, 74G50.