Incompressible Elastic Bodies with Non-Convex Energy under Dead-Load Surface Tractions

In this paper we study the equilibrium deformations of an incompressible elastic body with a non-convex strain energy function which is subjected to a homogeneous distribution of dead-load tractions. To determine the stable solutions we consider the mixtures of the phases which minimize the total energy density. In the special case of a trilinear material we discuss the stability of the equilibrium phases in detail. Finally, we show that multiphase solutions are possible when the surface loads correspond to a critical simple shear and we sketch their possible forms. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Strain Energy Function for Vulcanized Rubbers

A three-parameter strain energy function is developed to model the nonlinearly elastic response of rubber-like materials. The development of the model is phenomenological, based on data from the classic experiments of Treloar, Rivlin and Saunders, and Jones and Treloar on sheets of vulcanized rubber. A simple two-parameter version, similar to the Mooney-Rivlin and Gent-Thomas strain energies, provides an accurate fit with all of the data from Rivlin and Saunders and Jones and Treloar, as well as with Treloar’s data for deformations for which the principal deformation invariant I ₁ has values in the range 3≤I ₁≤20.     

The Attainable Region of strain-invariant space for elastic materials

Within the theory of isothermal isotropic non-linear elasticity, the selection of the appropriate form for the strain energy function W in terms of the strain invariants is still an issue. The purpose of this paper is to introduce ideas and techniques which it is hoped will contribute to the task of finding an appropriate form for the strain energy. Three principal ideas are developed in this paper. Firstly, not all of invariant-space corresponds to real deformations. Constitutive equations only need to match real behaviour over a restricted part of invariant space, called the Attainable Region, bounded by states of deformation corresponding to uniaxial and equi-biaxial extension. Secondly, examples are given of how to exploit the fact that the Attainable Region is restricted. Mapping a deformation onto this region allows visualization of how close the deformation is to the well-understood uniaxial, equi-biaxial and simple shear deformations, and how this varies in space or time. Thirdly, acceptable strain invariants do not have to be obviously symmetric functions of the principal stretches. The ordered principal stretches are themselves invariants, and explicit unique algebraic expressions can be given through which the greatest, middle or least stretch can be calculated in terms of the usual invariants. Thus invariants can be chosen which are apparently non-symmetric functions of the ordered stretches.     

Some New Implications of Certain Constitutive Inequalities in Plane Isotropic Elasticity

In plane isotropic elasticity a strengthened form of the Ordered–Forces inequality is shown to imply that the restriction of the strain-energy function to the class of deformation gradients which share the same average of the principal stretches is bounded from below by the strain energy corresponding to the conformal deformations in this class. For boundary conditions of place, this property (together with a certain version of the Pressure–Compression inequality) is then used (i) to show that the plane radial conformal deformations are stable with respect to all radial variations of class C ¹ and (ii) to obtain explicit lower bounds for the total energy associated with arbitrary plane radial deformations. For the same type of boundary conditions and together with a different version of the Pressure–Compression inequality, an analogous property in plane isotropic elasticity (established in [3] under the assumption that the material satisfies a strengthened form of the Baker–Ericksen inequality and according to which the restriction of the strain-energy function to the class of deformation gradients which share the same determinant is bounded from below by the strain energy corresponding to the conformal deformations in that class) is used (i) to show that the plane radial conformal deformations are stable with respect to all variations of class C ¹ and (ii) to obtain explicit lower bounds for the total energy associated with any plane deformation.     

Pairwise Deformations of an Incompressible Elastic Body under Dead-Load Tractions

In this paper we obtain necessary conditions for the existence of pairwise deformations of an incompressible, isotropic elastic body subjected to a homogeneous distribution of dead-load tractions. Explicit restrictions on the boundary loads and on the surface of discontinuity between the phases are determined. For hyperelastic bodies with stored energy depending only on the first invariant of strain, we show that pairwise deformations under examination are necessarily (within a rigid rotation) plane deformations.     

Physical invariants for nonlinear orthotropic solids

Seven invariants, with immediate physical interpretation, are proposed for the strain energy function of nonlinear orthotropic elastic solids. Three of the seven invariants are the principal stretch ratios and the other four are squares of the dot product between the two preferred directions and two principal directions of the right stretch tensor. A strain energy function, expressed in terms of these invariants, has a symmetrical property almost similar to that of an isotropic elastic solid written in terms of principal stretches. Ground state and stress–strain relations are given. Using principal axes techniques, the formulation is applied, with mathematical simplicity, to several types of deformations. In simple shear, a necessary and sufficient condition is given for Poynting relation and two novel deformation-dependent universal relations are formulated. Using series expansions and the symmetrical property, the proposed general strain energy function is refined to a particular general form. A type of strain energy function, where the ground state constants are written explicitly, is proposed. Some advantages of this type of function are indicated. An experimental advantage is demonstrated by showing a simple triaxial test can vary a single invariant while keeping the remaining invariants fixed.     

On the Ubiquity of Fracture in Nonlinear Elasticity

This paper points out a subtle and little known consequence of assuming rank-one convexity for an isotropic hyperelastic material [e.g., of assuming a common ordering of principal stretches and principal stresses and hence the Baker–Ericksen inequalities]. What is shown is that rank-one convexity necessarily privilages those affine deformations which are dilatations: – the stored-energy associated with a dilatation is smaller than the stored energy associated with any other affine deformation possessing the same determinant. Also pointed out are fracture related consequences of this property that arise when the stored-energy function assigns to the dilatation of determinant δ > 0 a value A(δ∈) which is not an everywhere convex function of (0,∞). This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Some results for generalized neo-Hookean elastic materials

Several deformations of non-linear elastic materials are used to study the implications of the strain energy density function being dependent only on the first strain invariant. Two kinds of results are obtained, those that compare responses with and without dependence on the second invariant, and those specific to materials whose strain energy functions depend only on the first strain invariant. The deformations are (i) homogenous biaxial extension, (ii) shear superposed on triaxial extension, (iii) inflation of a circular membrane, (iv) circular shear superimposed on a press fit cylinder, (v) torsion of a circular cylinder.     

The evolution of laminates in finite crystal plasticity: a variational approach

The analysis and simulation of microstructures in solids has gained crucial importance, virtue of the influence of all microstructural characteristics on a material’s macroscopic, mechanical behavior. In particular, the arrangement of dislocations and other lattice defects to particular structures and patterns on the microscale as well as the resultant inhomogeneous distribution of localized strain results in a highly altered stress–strain response. Energetic models predicting the mechanical properties are commonly based on thermodynamic variational principles. Modeling the material response in finite strain crystal plasticity very often results in a non-convex variational problem so that the minimizing deformation fields are no longer continuous but exhibit small-scale fluctuations related to probability distributions of deformation gradients to be calculated via energy relaxation. This results in fine structures that can be interpreted as the observed microstructures. In this paper, we first review the underlying variational principles for inelastic materials. We then propose an analytical partial relaxation of a Neo-Hookean energy formulation, based on the assumption of a first-order laminate microstructure, thus approximating the relaxed energy by an upper bound of the rank-one-convex hull. The semi-relaxed energy can be employed to investigate elasto-plastic models with a single as well as multiple active slip systems. Based on the minimization of a Lagrange functional (consisting of the sum of energy rate and dissipation potential), we outline an incremental strategy to model the time-continuous evolution of the laminate microstructure, then present a numerical scheme by means of which the microstructure development can be computed, and show numerical results for particular examples in single- and double-slip plasticity. We discuss the influence of hardening and of slip system orientations in the present model. In contrast to many approaches before, we do not minimize a condensed energy functional. Instead, we incrementally solve the evolution equations at each time step and account for the actual microstructural changes during each time step. Results indicate a reduction in energy when compared to those theories based on a condensed energy functional.     

Limiting Chain Extensibility Constitutive Models of Valanis–Landel Type

A new general constitutive model in terms of the principal stretches is proposed to reflect limiting chain extensibility resulting in severe strain-stiffening for incompressible, isotropic, homogeneous elastic materials. The strain-energy density involves the logarithm function and has the general Valanis–Landel form. For specific functions in the Valanis–Landel representation, we obtain particular strain-energies, some of which have been proposed in the recent literature. The stress–stretch response in some basic homogeneous deformations is described for these particular strain-energy densities. It is shown that the stress response in these deformations is similar to that predicted by the Gent model involving the first invariant of the Cauchy–Green tensor. The models discussed here depend on both the first and second invariants.      

The molecular theory of viscoelasticity for thermoplastic elastomer SBS (SIS) at large deformations

A microstructure model for SBS and SIS triblock copolymers with hard domains as multifunctional reinforcing fillers is proposed. Based on this model and proposed mechanism of large deformations, the probability distribution function of the end-to-end vector for each constituent chain and the free energy of deformation for the total networks was calculated by the combination of statistical thermodynamics and kinetics. A new molecular theory of non-linear visco-elasticity for SBS and SIS at large deformations is presented. It is successful in relating the viscoelastic state to molecular constitution by three important parameters (C ₁₀₀,C ₀₂₀, andC ₂₀₀) of the networks. The relations of stress to strain for four types of deformation, the elastic modulus and the constitutive equation for the stress relaxation were derived from this theory. It provides a theoretical foundation for studying the relationships of multiphase network structures and mechanical properties at large deformations. An excellent agreement between the theoretical relationships and experimental data from the experiments and the reference was obtained.Project supported by the National Natural Foundation of China     

Crushability maps for structural polymeric foams in uniaxial loading under rigid confinement

A family of epoxy-based polymeric foams with various initial porosity levels was subjected to quasi-static uniaxial loading in rigid confinement (uniaxial strain) to investigate their crushability characteristics. Two issues were investigated. The first issue was the uniformity of deformation in a specimen as a function of porosity level by creating a grid of equally spaced thin stripes on the surface and by monitoring their pattern during the experiment. It was found that the higher the porosity of foam, the more non-uniform the deformation in the specimen. However, the localized non-uniform deformation did not affect the global stress-strain response, especially at large deformations. The second issue was the development of a new analysis tool, called “crushability map”. The purpose of the tool is to depict the evolution of porosity, bulk density and energy absorption as functions of applied strain, stress, and porosity. These maps can assist in characterizing the residual crushability or energy absorption capability of foams as a function of residual porosity. The maps can be used as a design tool for selection of suitable foams for a given application in conjunction with various design criteria.     

On Compressible Materials Capable of Sustaining Axisymmetric Shear Deformations. Part 4: Helical Shear of Anisotropic Hyperelastic Materials

Conditions on the form of the strain energy function in order that homogeneous, compressible and isotropic hyperelastic materials may sustain controllable static, axisymmetric anti-plane shear, azimuthal shear, and helical shear deformations of a hollow, circular cylinder have been explored in several recent papers. Here we study conditions on the strain energy function for homogeneous and compressible, anisotropic hyperelastic materials necessary and sufficient to sustain controllable, axisymmetric helical shear deformations of the tube. Similar results for separate axisymmetric anti-plane shear deformations and rotational shear deformations are then obtained from the principal theorem for helical shear deformations. The three theorems are illustrated for general compressible transversely isotropic materials for which the isotropy axis coincides with the cylinder axis. Previously known necessary and sufficient conditions on the strain energy for compressible and isotropic hyperelastic materials in order that the three classes of axisymmetric shear deformations may be possible follow by specialization of the anisotropic case. It is shown that the required monotonicity condition for the isotropic case is much simpler and less restrictive. Restrictions necessary and sufficient for anti-plane and rotational shear deformations to be possible in compressible hyperelastic materials having a helical axis of transverse isotropy that winds at a constant angle around the tube axis are derived. Results for the previous case and for a circular axis of transverse isotropy are included as degenerate helices. All of the conditions derived here have essentially algebraic structure and are easy to apply. The general rules are applied in several examples for specific strain energy functions of compressible and homogeneous transversely isotropic materials having straight, circular, and helical axes of material symmetry.     

Plane Strain Bending of Cylindrical Sectors of Admissible Compressible Hyperelastic Materials

In the theory of nonlinear elasticity of rubber-like materials, if a homogeneous isotropic compressible material is described by a strain–energy function that is a homogeneous function of the principal stretches, then the equations of equilibrium for axisymmetric deformations reduce to a separable first-order ordinary differential equation. For a particular class of such strain–energy functions, this property is used to obtain a general parametric solution to the equilibrium equation for plane strain bending of cylindrical sectors. Specification of the arbitrary function that appears in such strain–energy functions yields some parametric solutions. In some cases, the parameter can be eliminated to yield closed-form solutions in implicit or explicit form. Other possible forms for the arbitrary constitutive function that are likely to yield such solutions are also indicated.     

On the General Structure of Small on Large Problems for Elastic Deformations of Varga Materials I: Plane Strain Deformations

In three recent papers [6–8], the present authors show that both plane strain and axially symmetric deformations of perfectly elastic incompressible Varga materials admit certain first integrals, which means that solutions for finite elastic deformations can be determined from a second order partial differential equation, rather than a fourth order one. For plane strain deformations there are three such integrals, while for axially symmetric deformations there are two. The purpose of the present papers is to present the general equations for small deformations which are superimposed upon a large deformation, which is assumed to satisfy one of the previously obtained first integrals. The governing partial differential equations for the small superimposed deformations are linear but highly nonhomogeneous, and we present here the precise structure of these equations in terms of a second-order linear differential operator D², which is first defined by examining solutions of the known integrals. The results obtained are illustrated with reference to a number of specific large deformations which are known solutions of the first integrals. For deformations of limited magnitude, the Varga strain-energy function has been established as a reasonable prototype for both natural rubber vulcanizates and styrene-butadiene vulcanizates. Plane strain deformations are examined in this present part while axially symmetric deformations are considered in Part II [16]. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Optimization of the stored energy and coaxiality of strain and stress in finite elasticity

The strain energy density of a hyperelastic anisotropic body which is rotated before being subjected to a given but arbitrary deformation is viewed as a smooth function defined on the group of rotations, parametrized by the deformation gradient. It is shown that the critical points of this function correspond to rotations which, when composed with the prescribed deformation, yield a total strain tensor which is coaxial with the corresponding stress. For any type of material symmetry, there are at least two such rotations. Coaxiality of stress and strain for all deformations is shown to be a sufficient condition for the isotropicity of hyperelastic materials.Research supported by GNFM of CNR (Italy).     

On Deformations with the Same Principal Stretches

In the context of the finite strain theory, plane isochoric homogeneous deformations are considered. Inspired by two examples (plane elliptical and plane hyperbolic deformations), it is seen that for any such isochoric deformation the corresponding principal stretches are equal to those of simple shear provided there is a certain relation between the amount of shear of the simple shear and the parameters of the general plane deformation. Then, the link is established between any two homogeneous deformations which have identical principal stretches. It involves two rotations, one in the undeformed state and the other in the deformed state. These rotations are determined explicitly for an arbitrary isochoric homogeneous deformation and the simple shear with the same principal stretches.     

Free-energy density functions for nematic elastomers

The recently proposed neo-classical theory for nematic elastomers generalizes standard molecular-statistical Gaussian network theory to allow for anisotropic distributions of polymer chains. The resulting free-energy density models several of the novel properties of nematic elastomers. In particular, it predicts the ability of nematic elastomers to undergo large deformations with exactly zero force and energy cost—so called soft elasticity. Although some nematic elastomers have been shown to undergo deformations with unusually small applied forces, not all do so, and none deform with zero force. Further, as a zero force corresponds to infinitely many possible deformations in the neo-classical theory, this non-uniqueness leads to serious indeterminacies in numerical schemes. Here we suggest that the neo-classical free-energy density is incomplete and propose an alternative derivation that resolves these difficulties. In our approach, we use the molecular-statistical theory to identify appropriate variables. This yields the choice for the microstructural degrees of freedom as well as two independent strain tensors (the overall macroscopic strain plus a relative strain that indicates how the deformation of the elastomeric microstructure deviates from the macroscopic deformation). We then propose expressions for the free-energy density as a function of the three quantities and show how the material parameters can be measured by two simple tests. The neo-classical free-energy density can be viewed as a special case of our expressions in which the free-energy density is independent of the overall macroscopic strain, thus supporting our view that the neo-classical theory is incomplete.     

A class of exact solutions for finite plane strain deformations of a particular elastic material

Summary In this paper we consider plane deformations of an incompressible elastic material and we show that by a suitable choice of strain energy function we can find the class of deformations with constant local rotation angle. Although the form for the strain energy function is chosen in the first place for mathematical convenience it does correspond to physically reasonable behaviour and such a theory may be regarded as a first order theory. The class of solutions obtained are expressed in a parametric form involving an arbitrary function, simple choices of which correspond to the well known exact solutions of finite elasticity.     

Stability,bifurcation and post-critical behavior of a homogeneously deformed incompressible isotropic elastic parallelepiped subject to dead-load surface tractions

We study the equilibrium homogeneous deformations of a homogeneous parallelepiped made of an arbitrary incompressible, isotropic elastic material and subject to a distribution of dead-load surface tractions corresponding to an equibiaxial tensile stress state accompanied by an orthogonal uniaxial compression of the same amount. We show that only two classes of homogeneous equilibrium solutions are possible, namely symmetric deformations, characterized by two equal principal stretches, and asymmetric deformations, with all different principal stretches. Following the classical energy-stability criterion, we then find necessary and sufficient conditions for both symmetric and asymmetric equilibrium deformations to be weak relative minimizers of the total potential energy. Finally, we analyze the mechanical response of a parallelepiped made of an incompressible Mooney–Rivlin material in a monotonic dead loading process starting from the unloaded state. As a major result, we model the actual occurrence of a bifurcation from a primary branch of locally stable symmetric deformations to a secondary, post-critical branch of locally stable asymmetric solutions.